Iran’s new supreme leader has warned the US to close its Gulf bases immediately or face further attacks, in his first message since taking power.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ali Khamenei, had not been seen or heard from since the US-Israeli strikes killed his father and other members of his family on the first day of the war. Telegraph reported
But in a written statement aired on Iranian state television today, he vowed to keep striking Gulf countries if they did not expel US troops.
The Gulf states have come under sustained Iranian drone and missile attacks on their infrastructure and transport networks since the start of the US-Israeli bombing campaign.
Khamenei also called for the continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to maintain a chokehold on global oil flows, and warned of “opening up other fronts” where the US and its allies are “vulnerable”.
The 56-year-old, until recently a mid-ranking cleric, added that he would not hesitate to avenge “the blood of your martyrs”, referring particularly to the girl’s school probably struck by a US Tomahawk, killing more than 150 children, teachers and parents.
The fact that he still has not appeared publicly has raised significant questions about the extent of his injuries, with rumours suggesting he may have been in a coma or lost a leg.
