Mojtaba Khamenei’s First Speech As Iran’s Supreme Leader; Warns Trump to ‘Close All Bases’ in Gulf

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued his first public statement since assuming power after the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during early U.S.–Israeli strikes in the ongoing conflict. In a message broadcast on Iranian state television, he called for national unity and declared that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed as leverage against Iran’s adversaries. Khamenei also wa ed that U.S. military bases across the region should be shut down or face attacks. He said allied armed groups in Yemen and Iraq are prepared to support Iran’s campaign, signaling continued escalation in the widening Middle East confrontation.