Could Have Taken Out Iran Leadership During Khamenei’s Funeral, But Didn’t: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh threat to Iran, claiming that he could eliminate the remaining leadership in the country with just "one shot" during the funeral ceremonies of the late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, according to an Axios report.

However, Trump indicated that he would refrain from taking such action because there would be "no one left" to negotiate with.

"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...They are begging to make a deal," Trump told Axios.

The US President further asserted that both nations have agreed to halt discussions for a week until the funeral proceedings for Khamenei conclude. During this temporary pause, Trump noted that neither side would launch attacks against the other.

Ali Khamenei, who held power in Iran for 36 years, was killed on February 28. His death coincided with the commencement of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, which subsequently triggered a wider conflict in the Middle East.

Why Did Iran Delay Khamenei’s Funeral Despite Islamic Burial Traditions?

Speculation surrounding the schedule of the final ceremonies had been intensifying since March.

Although Islamic jurisprudence generally mandates that a deceased individual be buried as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 hours, officials made an exception in this instance due to the ongoing state of war.

Iran deliberately selected July 4, the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, to commence Khamenei's funeral. The scheduled rituals include events in Qom, a holy city situated south of Tehran, on July 7, alongside various other religious observances.

The state funeral is set to conclude on July 9, culminating with Khamenei's burial in his hometown, the northeastern holy city of Mashhad.

Millions of Iranians have poured onto the streets to participate, turning the funeral into one of the most closely watched global events.

On Saturday, prominent officials including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were seen crying during the farewell ceremony for the former Supreme Leader.

Reacting to these developments, Trump expressed surprise over Iranians crying at the funeral, remarking that he believed the population "hated" Khamenei.

Earlier, the US President had mentioned that Washington allowed Iran a "week off" to conduct the funeral services.

"We beat Venezuela in one day, and we knocked the hell out of Iran; they're dying to settle. They want to settle so badly. We gave him a week off for a funeral because we're nice," he stated.

(With inputs from ANI)