Israeli minister vows to thwart future Iran leaders amid Khamenei mourning

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday threatened to "thwart" any future Iranian leader who seeks to attack the country, making the comments as thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran to mourn Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Minister's warning

Katz told The Jerusalem Post that "Any Iranian leader who tries to promote plans to destroy Israel again will also be thwarted," stating that US-Israeli attacks against Iran had removed the immediate threat of destruction from Israel and severely damaged Tehran's strategic capabilities. "Israel is prepared to once again defend itself on its own at any time and against any threat," he added.

Funeral procession

The defense minister's remarks coincided with a massive procession in the Iranian capital where crowds filled the streets to honor Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on February 28. The death of the supreme leader marked a dramatic escalation in the ongoing war between Washington and Tehran that has severely damaged Iran's strategic capabilities, according to Israeli assessments.

Path to peace

Despite Katz's warnings, Iran and the United States reached a memorandum of understanding on June 17 aimed at ending their military conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement. The accord came after months of hostilities that began with the February 28 attack and have reshaped regional security dynamics.