United States President Donald Trump stated that Washington could eliminate Iran’s remaining senior officials with a single strike if desired, citing their presence at the extended state funeral for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei died in US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. Trump added that the United States would not pursue such action, preferring to maintain talks with Tehran. He noted that all the leaders were assembled but said negotiations required keeping counterparts available, according to Axios. During the same discussion, Trump expressed surprise at Iranians showing grief at the event, suggesting the displays might not be genuine. Iran’s embassy in Armenia responded on social media that the remarks reflected a lack of civilization, history, and honor. Ahead of Independence Day events, Trump had previously criticized Iran, claiming the United States had struck it hard and granted time for the funeral out of courtesy. Before the funeral began, an Iranian military official warned the United States and Israel against further attacks, threatening strong retaliation for any aggression. Processions started on July 3 in Tehran and are scheduled to end with burial in Mashhad on July 9, including stops in Qom and Iraq. Iran’s foreign minister also cautioned that any threat to Iranian leadership would prompt an immediate and forceful reply, following Israeli comments targeting Khamenei’s son. The son is not expected to attend publicly due to security concerns.
