Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that “foreign players” belong nowhere in the Persian Gulf other than “the depths of its waters” during the ongoing tension with the US, as reported by state media.
Over seven weeks since he was declared their new supreme leader after his father’s assassination, Iranians have yet to see or hear from Khamenei, though he has sent out multiple written communications.
“Our neighbors across the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and we share a collective fate, and foreign entities — arriving from thousands of kilometers away with selfish motives — have no role here other than in the ocean’s depths,” he stated, based on an alleged remark.
In the message, Khamenei stated that Iran has begun a new phase of “regional and global order,” as reported by state television. He stated that Iran would “protect” its nuclear and missile abilities – crucial issues in any agreement with the US.
Thursday’s communication arrives as sources indicate that US President Donald Trump is planning a prolonged blockade of Iranian ports, seeing it as the main tool to push Iran to restart talks to conclude the conflict.
Khamenei’s remark follows shortly after US Secretary of State Mark Rubio stated that the US has evidence suggesting the Ayatollah is alive, but he raised doubts about whether he possesses “the clerical qualifications to truly function as supreme leader.”
Xenix News reporting by Jennifer Hansler was contributed.
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