'We will deliver painful blows until you beg': Iran warns amid protests

Thousands of Iranians took to the streets and university centers on Sunday in mass mourning gatherings, some of them spontaneous, following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Footage from the cities of Tehran, Isfahan, and Semnan shows crowds mourning alongside displays of support for the regime, with chants of "At your command, Khamenei" and demands for immediate revenge on Washington and Jerusalem.

In response to the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf issued a direct and harsh threat toward US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declaring: 

"We will deliver such painful blows to you that you will beg; you will see."

US President Donald Trump responded to the threats and revealed that Iran has announced its intention to carry out today an attack "stronger than ever before." Trump warned the regime in Tehran against such a move and made it clear that if it is carried out, the United States will strike with a force never seen before.

The exchange of threats comes as the Revolutionary Guards announced the completion of phase 6 in the "True Promise 4" operation, claiming that they struck 27 American and Israeli bases as part of an ongoing and developing act of revenge.

On the political level, the establishment of a "Temporary Leadership Council" to manage Iran during the transitional period was announced on Sunday. The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, clarified that the country had prepared for the day after Khamenei's death and that the stability of the regime would not be undermined.

Larijani also conveyed an official message to the United States through the Swiss Embassy, warning that any further aggression would lead to attacks on American bases in the region.

Despite the displays of power in the streets and the statements by senior officials, Iran faces increasing regional isolation and harsh criticism from Arab states, which undermines its ability to reach political agreements. As of now, Iran's proxies, including Hezbollah, the militias in Iraq, and the Houthis (except for blocking shipping routes), have remained on the sidelines.

Alongside this and alongside displays of mourning in the streets, there are also crowds celebrating Khamenei's death both within Iran itself and among the masses of exiles around the world who despise the regime. At one demonstration supporting Khamenei's elimination, the daughter of one of the women murdered by the regime, Javidnam Parisa Lashkar, held a picture of her mother while dancing.