Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any threat against the country’s people or leadership would be met with an “immediate and powerful response,” a statement issued hours after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei “marked for death.” Araghchi’s post on X directly referenced the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a framework brokered by Pakistan, asserting that it obliges Washington to “muzzle its pets in Tel Aviv” and that Iran would “school them” if Israel ignored its patron. The exchange marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric while US and Iranian technical teams were meeting in Doha to discuss shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz and a durable ceasefire, according to a source with direct knowledge of the talks and an Iranian official.

Viewed from Tehran, the Iranian position frames the Islamabad MoU as a binding commitment by President Donald Trump to contain Israeli military action. Araghchi’s statement, carried by state-linked media, described the terms as “crystal clear and public for all to use.” Iranian officials have not disclosed the full text of the memorandum, but they present it as the basis for a long-term accord that would halt hostilities across all fronts. The Iranian leadership has also signalled that the US bears responsibility for any Israeli breach, a stance that places the Doha negotiations in a precarious position.

From Tel Aviv, Defence Minister Katz told Israeli military correspondents on Monday that Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father after the late leader was killed in an Israeli raid in late February, is a legitimate target. Katz described Iranian negotiators as “good merchants” seeking to extract concessions and insisted that Israel would act independently to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, though he added that achieving this through an agreement would be preferable. Israeli officials maintain that they are not signatories to the Islamabad MoU and are not bound by its provisions. Reports in the US press indicate that President Trump considered a full-scale military option against Iran but ultimately decided to prioritise diplomatic channels.

The threats land amid an opaque leadership transition in Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since his inauguration in early March, communicating only through statements read on state television. Reports suggest he was injured in the same explosion that killed his father. Iranian authorities have scheduled funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei from 4 to 9 July across several Iranian and Iraqi cities, an event that analysts in the region note could serve as the new supreme leader’s first public appearance and a potential flashpoint.

The Doha technical talks continue, but the public exchange of threats complicates the diplomatic track. The state of the dossier remains fragile: the US and Iran are seeking to stabilise the Strait of Hormuz and secure a lasting ceasefire, while Israel insists on its operational freedom. The funeral period is expected to test the restraint of all parties, with no formal mechanism in place to adjudicate alleged violations of the Islamabad MoU.