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Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Thursday ordered the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and demanded the shutdown of all United States military bases in the Middle East, escalating tensions with Washington and its regional allies.
In a message broadcast by Iranian state television outlet Press TV, Mojtaba Khamenei issued the directive as his first official order since succeeding his father, Ali Khamenei, who Iran said was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike.
The new supreme leader described the continued closure of the strategic waterway as a “tool of pressure” against Western powers and warned neighbouring countries hosting American troops to immediately shut down those facilities.
He said any base used to facilitate “aggression” against Iran would remain a legitimate target for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“The countries of the region must clarify their stance regarding the aggressors against our dear homeland,” the statement said.
“I recommend that they shut down those bases as soon as possible, for they must surely have realised by now that America’s claim of establishing security and peace has been nothing but a lie.”
Khamenei also vowed that Iran would seek reparations for the victims of the war, citing a recent strike on a school in the city of Minab. He warned that if compensation is not paid, Iran would seize or destroy an equivalent portion of what he described as enemy assets.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian outlined a three-point diplomatic plan to end the hostilities following consultations with leaders in Russia and Pakistan.
According to Pezeshkian, the war, which Iran says was triggered by the “Zionist regime and the US,” could only end if the international community recognises Iran’s rights, pays compensation for damages to its infrastructure and civilians, and provides firm guarantees against future attacks.
US bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, must be shut down – Iranian leader, Khamenei
