DUBAI — Iran warned the United States and Israel on Thursday against any attack on the country as it prepares for the state funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes on the first day of the war on February 28.“We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the US and the Zionist regime (Israel), to avoid any miscalculation and to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country,” Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement.The Iranian force als warned that the continued presence of US manned and unmanned military aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz threatens regional security and vowed a “swift and decisive” response to any American interference in the strategic waterway.In a statement carried by the semi-official Fars News Agency, the Central Headquarters said Iran “will not hesitate to take any action” to repel “any aggression and violation by the US military and its supporters in defense of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”The headquarters described the Strait of Hormuz as “the sovereign territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and that the security and stability of the strategic waterway constitute “a red line” for the country’s armed forces.Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the state funeral of the former supreme leader, the foreign ministry in Islamabad said on Thursday.Senior Chinese lawmaker He Wei will also attend the funeral, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Thursday. He is the vice chairman of China’s top lawmaking body, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.India said on Thursday that its deputy foreign minister and a state governor would represent the country at the state funeral of Khamenei. Governor of Bihar, Syed Ata Hasnain, and deputy foreign minister Pabitra Margherita will visit Iran on July 3, the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.“The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilizational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political and economic engagements,” it said.Funeral processions for Khamenei will begin on July 4 in Tehran and conclude on July 9 with his burial in his hometown of Mashhad, with additional ceremonies planned in Qom and Iraq in-between these dates.On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gave a similar warning that Tehran would deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat against its people or leadership after comments by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz that Iran’s current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was “marked for death.”In a post on X, Araghchi accused the United States of being responsible for keeping Israel in check under the terms of the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) that helped end recent hostilities in the region.Iranian media reported heightened security measures during the funeral period, while the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said on Wednesday that temporary airspace restrictions would be implemented over several cities including Tehran and Mashhad.DUBAI — Iran warned the United States and Israel on Thursday against any attack on the country as it prepares for the state funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in airstrikes on the first day of the war on February 28.“We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the US and the Zionist regime (Israel), to avoid any miscalculation and to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country,” Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement.The Iranian force als warned that the continued presence of US manned and unmanned military aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz threatens regional security and vowed a “swift and decisive” response to any American interference in the strategic waterway.In a statement carried by the semi-official Fars News Agency, the Central Headquarters said Iran “will not hesitate to take any action” to repel “any aggression and violation by the US military and its supporters in defense of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”The headquarters described the Strait of Hormuz as “the sovereign territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and that the security and stability of the strategic waterway constitute “a red line” for the country’s armed forces.Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the state funeral of the former supreme leader, the foreign ministry in Islamabad said on Thursday.Senior Chinese lawmaker He Wei will also attend the funeral, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Thursday. He is the vice chairman of China’s top lawmaking body, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.India said on Thursday that its deputy foreign minister and a state governor would represent the country at the state funeral of Khamenei. Governor of Bihar, Syed Ata Hasnain, and deputy foreign minister Pabitra Margherita will visit Iran on July 3, the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.“The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilizational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political and economic engagements,” it said.Funeral processions for Khamenei will begin on July 4 in Tehran and conclude on July 9 with his burial in his hometown of Mashhad, with additional ceremonies planned in Qom and Iraq in-between these dates.On Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi gave a similar warning that Tehran would deliver an immediate and powerful response to any threat against its people or leadership after comments by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz that Iran’s current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was “marked for death.”In a post on X, Araghchi accused the United States of being responsible for keeping Israel in check under the terms of the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) that helped end recent hostilities in the region.Iranian media reported heightened security measures during the funeral period, while the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization said on Wednesday that temporary airspace restrictions would be implemented over several cities including Tehran and Mashhad.
Iran warns US, Israel against 'any miscalculation' ahead of Khamenei's funeral
