Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said ​on Saturday that ‌avenging his slain predecessor and father was "the demand of ​the nation" and "must ​certainly" take place, according to ⁠a written message ​released on his Telegram ​account.

Khamenei issued the message on the occasion of funeral ceremonies for ​his father, Ayatollah ​Ali Khamenei, held months after he ‌was ⁠killed in the US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28.

"We pledge to avenge ​the blood ​of ⁠the martyred leader and all the ​martyrs of these ​two ⁠wars from the criminal and disgraced killers," Khamenei ⁠said ​in the ​message.