Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has said that Iran’s government “does not rely on one individual”, reports Al Jazeera.

He claimed that Tehran’s enemies have been promoting this idea following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In an interview with Lebanese Al-Mayadeen Network, Baghaei said his country was “defending the entire region … not just Iran”.

He called the killing of Khamenei “an international crime and a war against Iran”.

Iran has mobilised all its capabilities to defend its sovereignty, and it is the armed forces that decide on the type of weapons and targets, Baghaei added.

“Many know how much Iran appreciates and respects the countries of the region,” he said.