New Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said Iran should continue ‘blocking the Strait of Hormuz’ in his first statement since his election, read out on Iranian State television on Thursday (12 March).
Khamenei, who is still yet to appear in public, told Iranians, "we will not forgo revenge for the blood of your martyrs” who have been killed in the conflict with the U.S. and Israel in the statement, which was read out by a presenter.
The price of oil rose to over $100 a barrel on Thursday as attacks on sea traffic in the Strait of Hormuz escalated. At least six ships have now been targeted in the vital sea passage, which lies between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.
In the statement, Khamenei also demanded the U.S. close its regional military bases, which have been used to launch attacks on Iran.
“I advise that they shut down those bases as soon as possible, because they must have realised by now that the claim of establishing security and peace by America was nothing but a lie,” he said.
Khamenei said Tehran would continue striking American bases in the region, while striving to avoid hitting the nations hosting such bases.
But he added: "These countries must clarify their stance regarding the aggressors against our dear homeland and the murderers of our people."
The statement began with a tribute to his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israel airstrikes on 28 February.
"I had the privilege to visit his body after his martyrdom. What I saw was a mountain of solidity, and I heard that his remaining sound fist was clenched,” Khamenei said.
The 56-year-old added that he found out about his appointment as new Supreme Leader by the Assembly of Experts at the same time as the public via television.
Following in the footsteps of his father Khamenei and Iran’s first Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini was a "difficult task," he added.
But Khamenei said he was inspired by the resolve the Iranian people had shown in the days after his father’s death. The Iranian people had shown “steadfastness, bravery, and presence,” during the period when Iran was without a leader, he said.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime ca...
From a Hellenistic burial chamber beneath Naples to an ornate ceiling in Oxford and the surviving fragments of a Michelangelo sculpture, 3D scanning i...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday as Türkiye stepped up efforts to revive stalled ...
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday as Türkiye stepped up efforts to revive stalled peace negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russia.
Andy Burnham has been elected leader of Britain's governing Labour Party, clearing the way to become the country's next prime minister on Monday. The 56-year-old pledged to spread power beyond Westminster, revive neglected communities and counter the rise of Reform UK.
Apple is closing in on Nvidia's position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company, as investors increasingly bet the iPhone maker can turn artificial intelligence into sustained earnings growth.
The half-time interval during the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is expected to be extended to around 30 minutes to accommodate the tournament’s first-ever major half-time concert.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
Nineteen years ago, at Barcelona's Camp Nou, Lionel Messi posed for a charity photo shoot with a five-month-old baby he had never met. On Sunday, that baby, Lamine Yamal, will face Messi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final as Spain take on Argentina. A full-circle football story.
The U.S. military said it completed a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, targeting logistics infrastructure and maritime capabilities. Iran responded by launching strikes at U.S. bases in neighbouring countries.
SpaceX's Starship rocket aborted its 13th flight test just seconds before liftoff in Texas on Thursday after some of its 33 engines failed to start. CEO Elon Musk said the company is likely to make another launch attempt early next week.
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport and separate workplaces, a June 2026 survey has found.
Iran's space programme is advancing with new communications, radar and Earth observation satellites despite conflict and sanctions, the head of the Iranian Space Agency has said. He also outlined expanded international cooperation and a revised long-term strategy.
Uzbekistan and Italy's Tuscany region have agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education and culture following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani in Tashkent.
Iran struck eastern Syria on Friday, Iranian state media and a Syrian military source said, in the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory since a regional war erupted earlier this year.
Disruptions to shipping through the Gulf are creating an unexpected opportunity for Pakistan, as conflict around the Strait of Hormuz prompts vessels to divert cargo to Karachi, reshaping regional maritime trade.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment