In a message released on Sunday to coincide with the farewell ceremony for the martyred Leader, Makarem Shirazi said the large public turnout reflected the Iranian nation’s loyalty to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution and its determination to continue the path of those killed in its cause.
The ceremony, underway in Tehran since Saturday, will continue until Sunday evening and will be followed with a funeral procession in the capital the following day. Martyr Seyyed Ali Khamenei and several commanders were assassinated by the United States and Israel on February 28, on the first day of the war of aggression launched by the regimes against Iran.
“The perpetrators of this heinous crime, whose hands are stained with the blood of the martyred Leader, military commanders, officials, defenseless civilians, and innocent children, will not escape divine punishment or just retribution. The blood of these martyrs will never be forgotten, and the Muslim Ummah will continue to pursue justice for them within the framework of Islamic law and legal principles,” the message said.  
Makarem Shirazi also said the confrontation with the “front of global arrogance” had not ended, warning that efforts to spread despair, weaken public morale, or undermine Iranian officials and Armed Forces would serve the interests of the country’s enemies.
He urged Iranian officials, the Armed Forces, and decision-makers to rely on national capabilities, public resilience, and faith while responding to challenges with prudence, strength, and vigilance in the military, diplomatic, and other arenas. He argued that past experience had shown that retreat in the face of aggression only encouraged further attacks.
The senior cleric also stressed the importance of preserving national unity, saying differences of opinion should not be allowed to create division or weaken the country’s internal front.
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