Iran vows to fight on in first message issued in name of Mojtaba Khamenei
Iran vows to fight on in first message issued in name of Mojtaba Khamenei
On Thursday, Iran released its inaugural declaration attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, its newly anointed supreme leader, asserting the continued blockade of the Hormuz Strait and the persistence of attacks on American military installations in the region. The message, broadcast on state television rather than delivered live or via video, may not fully reassure those questioning whether the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is still alive.
Khamenei emphasized his intent to demand reparation from the United States for its assaults, with a threat to dismantle assets equivalent to the compensation Iran claims to be owed if Washington refuses. Amid speculation about his health following the deadly strike on his father’s compound during the initial phase of the US-Israeli operation, the televised statement is expected to be closely scrutinized for early indications of his leadership approach.
Described as a hardliner aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Khamenei made few remarks on recent internal fractures within Iran, instead extolling “the masses who gathered in resplendent gatherings to reaffirm their loyalty to the system.” He urged unity, stating, “No harm should befall the nation’s cohesion among its individuals and groups, especially in times of adversity,” and called for differences to be set aside.
“There must be no harm to the unity of the nation among the individuals and groups of the nation which usually becomes specially evident in times of hardship,” he said, calling for “points of disagreement” to be overlooked.
Khamenei also lauded the Iranian populace for resisting foreign aggression, noting their actions had drawn admiration from allies and astonishment from adversaries. He expressed confidence that the public supports the nation’s ongoing course, reiterating the necessity of maintaining the strait’s blockade. “Studies have been made about opening other fronts where the enemy has little experience and will be severely vulnerable,” he added.
He acknowledged the support of the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, despite the Houthis’ current absence from the conflict. Khamenei vowed to avenge the “blood of your martyrs,” including the 175 killed in a missile strike on a school in Minab. A preliminary US military inquiry has linked the attack to Washington.
In addressing relations with Iran’s Gulf neighbors, Khamenei highlighted the enemy’s gradual establishment of military and financial bases in some of these nations over time. “In the recent attack, some military bases were used, and naturally, as we had explicitly warned and without any aggression towards those countries, we only targeted those bases,” he stated. He warned that such actions would persist, though he maintained belief in the need for continued friendship with these neighbors.
Khamenei urged Gulf states to “clarify their stance towards the aggressors of our dear homeland and the killers of our people,” suggesting they close US bases swiftly. Unlike Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, who had offered apologies last weekend, Khamenei insisted Tehran sought neither colonization nor dominance. He argued that severing ties with Washington would enable Gulf leaders to strengthen bonds with their citizens and enhance their wealth.
Speaking of his ascension to the leadership, Khamenei noted he learned of his elevation through television, acknowledging the challenge of assuming the role. He also revealed that his family had suffered losses in the US-Israeli assault, listing “my father, whose loss has become a public matter, my devoted wife, my loyal sister who dedicated herself to our parents, her young child, and the wife of another sister” among those “added to the caravan of martyrs.” Khamenei mentioned visiting his father’s body, though no date for the funeral has been announced.
