Mojtaba Khamenei Marks Raisi Death Anniversary With Call for National Unity
Iran Supreme Leader urged Islamic Republic officials to strengthen cohesion and address mounting economic hardships as Iran navigates one of the most turbulent periods in its modern history
Erbil (Kurdistan24) - Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, issued a formal statement on Wednesday marking the second anniversary of the death of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, calling on Islamic Republic officials to close ranks, empower dedicated leadership, and restore hope to a nation under severe pressure.
The statement, released on Wednesday, praised Raisi as a leader defined by his closeness to ordinary people, his commitment to justice, and his active diplomacy. Mojtaba Khamenei described Raisi's presidency as a period of meaningful national service conducted under immense external pressure, and commemorated alongside him dozens of other officials and public figures he described as martyrs of service to the Islamic Republic.
Turning to the present, the statement carried what amounted to a pointed directive to current government leadership.
Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran stands at a historically singular moment of confrontation against what he described as global terrorism, and that officials at every level, from senior leadership down to managers across all sectors, bear a duty to strengthen national cohesion, reinvigorate hardworking officials, and address the economic and livelihood concerns weighing on the Iranian people.
"Today, we are grateful for the past and more determined than ever," the statement said, calling on officials to define a serious role for mission-driven citizens in steering the country's progress and to move with hope toward a bright future.
The statement's implicit acknowledgment of the Iranian people's economic grievances, framed as a call to action directed at officials, reflects the mounting domestic pressure on the Islamic Republic's government as nuclear negotiations with the United States continue without a breakthrough, and the consequences of the February 2026 war continue to reshape the region.
Mojtaba Khamenei rarely issues formal public communications of this nature, making Wednesday's statement an unusual and closely watched signal from within Iran's most powerful family at a moment of acute national uncertainty.
The statement also comes amid continued speculation surrounding succession dynamics inside Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, 2026, an event that dramatically reshaped the regional conflict and intensified instability across the Middle East.
Neither Iranian state media nor government officials had publicly commented on the statement at the time of publication.