Trump Suggests Taking Out Iranian Leaders, Decides Against It Amid Funeral Ceremonies

Donald Trump broached the possibility of taking out all remaining Iranian leaders with “one shot” on Sunday as they gathered for the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The remarks came even as Tehran prepared for a mass casualty event with thousands of deaths amid the week-long ceremonies for the former Supreme Leader. A shaky ceasefire remains in place — with Trump claiming on Saturday that he had given Tehran “a week off” to mourn. “I thought people hated Khamenei. Maybe it’s fake tears…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,” Trump told Axios during an interview. The US President also said that both nations had agreed to halt discussions for a week until the funeral proceedings for Khamenei were concluded. Trump noted that neither side would launch attacks against the other during this temporary pause. The late leader is currently lying in state in Tehran — with thousands arriving to pay their final respects. Iran has also invited international dignitaries to attend the ceremonies. The former Supreme Leader of Iran is scheduled to be buried in Mashhad on July 9 after a week of ceremonial processions through Tehran, Qom, Najaf, and Karbala. The expansive funeral, organised by the Iranian establishment to project domestic solidarity and defiance amid escalating regional tensions, has attracted significant gatherings. Thousands of people have been seen weeping, chanting slogans, and beating their chests in keeping with Shiite mourning practices. Mojtaba Khamenei remained conspicuously absent from his father’s funeral proceedings over the weekend — even as three other sons of the slain leader were seen praying alongside family members beside his coffin. State TV showed Mostafa, Meysam and Masoud Khamenei praying behind the coffins laid out in the vast courtyard of Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla. There has still been ‌no public sighting or image released of Mojtaba Khamenei — even as the war surged and ceasefires were brokered. People close to his inner circle have told Reuters that the current Supreme Leader had suffered a significant injury to one or both legs when the US and Israel bombed Iran on February 28. The attack which killed his father and other family members also reportedly left Mojtaba Khamenei’s face disfigured. Top officials have cited security concerns for his absence from the funeral ceremonies.The unprecedented scale of the event also makes it difficult to maintain public order and leadership safety, despite the deployment of what is likely the largest security force in Iranian history. Ayatollah Hakim Elahi — Khamenei’s representative in India — told news agency ANI earlier this week that the current Supreme Leader will not be present at the funeral events for his father due to these intense security concerns The domestic security environment remains highly sensitive following provocative statements from regional adversaries. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had previously remarked that the late leader was “marked for death.”