Why it matters:
The remarks from Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of Nigeria's Islamic Movement, come as the region braces for continued retaliation following the death of Iran's Supreme Leader in an Israeli-American airstrike on Tehran.
The big picture:
Across the Muslim world, supporters of Iran are observing mourning ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whom Zakzaky described as having "attained the highest position in the path of God." The seventh-day prayers in Abuja drew senior representatives of the movement, blending grief with defiance.
What he's saying:
Responding to Donald Trump's comments about the transition of power in Tehran, Zakzaky declared, "Donald Trump says the new Ayatollah hasn't been appointed yet. Doesn't he know two new Ayatollahs were appointed? They are Ayatollah Ballistic and Ayatollah Hypersonic. They are the ones raining on Israeli skies and your military bases across the region."
The cleric vowed that missile attacks on U.S. and Israeli targets would continue "until Iran is satisfied with the revenge." He praised the IRGC's battlefield strategy—first depleting older missile stockpiles to overwhelm American and Israeli radar and air defense systems, then introducing "new generations the world has never seen."
Between the lines:
Zakzaky suggested Khamenei had anticipated his own death. "He already made his will and all the arrangements for the country, and that is why Iran remains as if he is still alive," Zakzaky said, adding that the assassination failed to trigger the chaos or internal conflict the U.S. had hoped for.
The bottom line:
"They thought by killing the leader, Iran would be in chaos, but things didn't go according to their evil plan," Zakzaky said. "His martyrdom united the hearts of the entire Muslim ummah against America and its hypocritical Arab allies."
Hossein Amiri - ahmad shirzadian
