Iran’s new supreme leader affirms importance of Hormuz closure, vows to continue attacking US bases in Gulf states

TEHRAN: Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that all United States bases in the region should be immediately closed and warned they would be attacked if they remained open.

In his first official message as Iran's new supreme leader, he added that the “closure of the Strait of Hormuz should be continued as a tool to pressure the enemy.”

He said the "will of the popular masses" was the continuation of "effective and deterrent defence".

The supreme leader said that studies were conducted regarding opening other fronts where "the enemy lacks experience and will be extremely weak, and this will be activated if the state of war continues and as interest dictates".

Thanking Iran's allies in the form of regional groups that have taken to attacking Israel, he said: "We consider the countries of the Resistance Front our best friends, and the cause of resistance is an integral part of the values of the Islamic revolution. There is no doubt that the cooperation of this front's components together shortens the path to salvation from the Zionist sedition. We have seen how brave, faithful Yemen did not abandon the defense of the oppressed people of Gaza, and how the self-sacrificing Hezbollah supported the Islamic republic despite all obstacles, and likewise, the resistance of Iraq marched bravely on this path."

Khamenei vowed “revenge for the blood of the martyrs”, specifically referencing the attack on the school in Minab, and condemned attempts by foreign powers to dominate Iran’s territory.

"This revenge is not limited to the martyrdom of the leader of the revolution alone; rather, every individual of our people martyred at the hands of the enemy constitutes an independent case in the retribution file. A limited part of this revenge has been achieved so far, but it will remain open until it is fully realised, especially regarding the blood of our children."

He further stressed that, despite attacks originating from neighbouring countries, “war against Iran must not affect our relationship with our neighbours.”

Mojtaba said that Iran shared land or sea borders with 15 countries and had always desired "warm and constructive relations with everyone".

However, he added that "the enemy established military and financial bases in some of these countries years ago to ensure his hegemony over the region. In the recent attack, some of these bases were used; therefore — as we warned previously — we targeted those bases only without aggressing against those countries. We will be forced to continue this matter if the use of those bases continues, while always emphasising our desire for friendly relations with our neighbors. We advise these countries to close those bases quickly, as it has become clear to them that the United States' claim of achieving security and peace was nothing but a lie."

Coming to compensation for those injured so far, he said the wounded must receive appropriate treatment free of charge and benefit from other privileges. Further, he said that sufficient measures should be taken to compensate for the financial damages inflicted on private property.

"These two matters are a mandatory duty for officials, and they must submit a report on this to me. I emphasise that we will demand compensation from the enemy; if he refuses, we will take from his funds as much as we deem appropriate, and if that is not feasible, we will destroy his property by the same amount."

Thanking the Iranian military in particular, Mojtaba said: "A sincere thank you to our brave fighters who, in circumstances where our dear homeland was subjected to an unjust attack by the leaders of the arrogance front, blocked the way for the enemy with their powerful strikes and stripped him of the illusion of controlling this homeland or even partitioning it."

Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed after the call to do so by Mojtaba.

"In response to the order of the commander-in-chief, we will deliver the harshest blows to the aggressor enemy while maintaining the strategy of closing the Strait of Hormuz," said Guards navy commander Alireza Tangsiri in a post on X.

Separately, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, has warned that any move to cripple Iran’s power infrastructure would trigger sweeping retaliation across the region.

Responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump about Iran’s electricity network, he said on Thursday that if such an action were carried out, the consequences would not remain limited to Iran.

“If they take apart Iran’s electric capacity, the entire region will go dark in less than half an hour,” he wrote on X, adding that widespread blackouts would create conditions in which US servicemen in the region would be vulnerable while seeking safety.

Earlier, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf issued a stern warning, declaring that any attempt to attack Iran’s islands would provoke a decisive and uncompromising response.

“Any aggression against the territory of our islands will break all limits of restraint. We will respond fully, turning the Persian Gulf into a grave for invaders,” he said in a post on X.

A spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)’s Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters said Iran had not attacked Oman and described the incident at Salalah port as suspicious and under investigation.

“The incident at the Port of Salalah in the friendly and neighbouring Sultanate of Oman appears highly suspicious and is currently under investigation,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that Iran’s armed forces fully respect the security and national sovereignty of Oman and emphasised that the Islamic Republic holds the country in high regard as a friendly neighbour.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Iranian army, Brigadier General Mohammad Akrami Nia, stated in an interview with Iranian state television that the disruption of the enemy's radars facilitates access to sensitive points inside Israel.

He added that the Iranian army was able today to target the Palmachim and Ovda air bases, as well as the headquarters of the General Security Service (Shin Bet) near Tel Aviv, and that the operations are becoming more precise day by day.