Goa, July 11 -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to avenge the killing of his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declaring that retaliation is "the demand of the nation" and would inevitably take place.

In his first public message since the funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began, Mojtaba issued a written statement carried by Iranian state television. The new Supreme Leader pledged to seek justice for his father and all those killed during the recent conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

"We pledge to avenge the blood of the martyred leader and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraced killers," the statement said, adding that vengeance was both ...