Tehran: Iran has strongly condemned US President Donald Trump's remarks that the entire Iranian leadership could have been eliminated "in one shot", accusing the United States of lacking culture, history and honour. The response was issued through the Iranian Embassy in Armenia's official X account as tensions escalated following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In its post, the embassy asserted that while individuals can be killed, their ideals cannot. It likened Khamenei's death to breaking a perfume bottle whose fragrance spreads everywhere, arguing that his assassination would only strengthen the ideals he represented. The post further said that the United States could not understand such values because it lacked civilisation, history and honour.
"People can be killed, but ideals cannot. You killed Ayatollah Khamenei, but in reality, you broke a perfume bottle whose scent spread everyplace. You don't understand these things because you have neither civilization, nor history, nor honor," the post read.
The response came after Trump said Iran's top leadership had gathered during Khamenei's funeral and claimed they could all have been wiped out at once. He also questioned the public mourning for the late Iranian leader, describing the grief displayed during the funeral as insincere.
The exchange comes as Iran continues week-long funeral and mourning ceremonies for Khamenei in Tehran. Senior Iranian leaders and international political representatives gathered publicly on Sunday after the ceremonies began on Saturday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on Iran on February 28. His death has intensified hostilities between Tehran and Washington, with the latest war of words unfolding alongside nationwide mourning ceremonies for the late Supreme Leader.