"Thought people hated him": Trump on Iranians crying at late Supreme Leader Khamenei's funeral
Washington, DC, July 5
US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh threat to Iran, claiming that he could eliminate the remaining leadership in the country with just "one shot" during the funeral ceremonies of the late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, according to an Axios report.
However, Trump indicated that he would refrain from taking such action because there would be "no one left" to negotiate with.
"They are all there. One shot and we can take them all out, but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with...They are begging to make a deal," Trump told Axios.
The US President further asserted that both nations have agreed to halt discussions for a week until the funeral proceedings for Khamenei conclude. During this temporary pause, Trump noted that neither side would launch attacks against the other.
Ali Khamenei, who held power in Iran for 36 years, was killed on February 28. His death coincided with the commencement of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which subsequently triggered a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Speculation surrounding the schedule of the final ceremonies had been intensifying since March. Although Islamic jurisprudence generally mandates that a deceased individual be buried as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 hours, officials made an exception in this instance due to the ongoing state of war.
Iran deliberately selected July 4, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, to commence Khamenei's funeral. The scheduled rituals include events in Qom, a holy city situated south of Tehran, on July 7, alongside various other religious observances.
The state funeral is set to conclude on July 9, culminating with Khamenei's burial in his hometown, the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.
Millions of Iranians have poured onto the streets to participate, turning the funeral into one of the most closely watched global events.
On Saturday, prominent officials including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were seen crying during the farewell ceremony for the former Supreme Leader.
Reacting to these developments, Trump expressed surprise over Iranians crying at the funeral, remarking that he believed the population "hated" Khamenei.
"Maybe it's fake tears," Trump said.
Earlier, the US President had mentioned that Washington allowed Iran a "week off" to conduct the funeral services.
"We beat Venezuela in one day, and we knocked the hell out of Iran; they're dying to settle. They want to settle so badly. We gave him a week off for a funeral because we're nice," he stated.
Meanwhile, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will not be attending the funeral ceremonies of his father, Ali Khamenei, due to severe security apprehensions, his representative in India told ANI.
Ayatollah Hakim Elahi stated that persistent Israeli threats and heightened surveillance risks would render Mojtaba's public attendance "dangerous."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an American living abroad, I find Trump's behavior embarrassing. Negotiating with a country while they bury their leader? And then mocking their grief? This is not diplomacy, it's bullying. The Iranians have every right to mourn their leader, even if we disagree with his policies.
Interesting how Trump gave them "a week off" for the funeral. As if he's doing them a favour by not bombing them during mourning! Classic American arrogance - thinking they can dictate when others can grieve. And the "fake tears" comment? Totally insensitive. We in India know how emotional public mourning can be genuine, especially for religious figures.
Trump's surprise at Iranians crying shows he doesn't understand Shia Islam's culture of mourning. Muharram processions, for example, draw huge crowds of genuine mourners. But I do question why Khamenei's body was kept for months - sounds like a political move to coincide with US Independence Day. 🤔
"We beat Venezuela in one day and knocked the hell out of Iran" - this is how a 5-year-old talks. Real leaders don't boast about destruction. Trump's entire foreign policy seems to be about flexing muscles while having zero long-term strategy. The Iran deal collapse was a disaster, and this rhetoric won't help.
As an Indian, I find the whole situation deeply troubling. We have historical ties with Iran but also strong US relations. This is a dangerous game of chicken. Why is Trump making jokes about wiping out entire governments? And why is Iran holding a months-late
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.