NEW IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER MOJTABA KHAMENEI SPEAKS FOR FIRST TIME AMID WAR

Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has issued his first public statement since taking power following the death of his father, former leader Ali Khamenei, during the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.In a message broadcast on Iranian state television, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed that Iran would continue resisting the United States and its allies, warning that the conflict would not force the country into submission. He also signaled that Iran may keep the strategic Strait of Hormuz closed, a move that could significantly disrupt global oil supplies. The new leader also urged countries in the Gulf region to expel U.S. military bases, accusing them of enabling attacks on Iran. He warned that Iran would retaliate against any nation assisting what he described as foreign aggression. Mojtaba Khamenei reportedly delivered the statement through a written message read on television rather than appearing publicly, with reports suggesting he may be in hiding or recovering from injuries sustained during earlier strikes that killed several members of his family. His rise to power came after Iran’s powerful clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, selected him as the country’s third Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026, following the assassination of his father amid escalating hostilities. The speech comes as the conflict continues to widen across the Middle East, with attacks on ships, airstrikes across multiple countries, and rising casualties reported across the region.