Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz should continue, describing it as a “tool to pressure the enemy,” in his first public remarks since taking office.
During televised comments translated by Reuters, Khamenei also stated that all U.S. military bases across the Middle East must shut down immediately, warning that “those bases will be attacked.”
Following his statement, oil prices continued to climb. The remarks were broadcast by Iranian state television as global markets reacted to the ongoing disruption. Oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have largely halted since the conflict began, driving international oil prices sharply higher. Iran warned on Wednesday that crude prices could reach $200 per barrel.
The speech marked Khamenei’s first public appearance since he was appointed Iran’s supreme leader on March 9. He assumed the role after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes that began in late February.
Mojtaba Khamenei was reportedly injured during the strike on his father’s compound, which resulted in the deaths of the ayatollah and several immediate family members.
“Iran will not refrain from avenging the blood of its martyrs,” Khamenei said, urging unity among the Iranian population.
At 56, Khamenei is widely viewed as more hardline and conservative than his father, though he maintained a relatively low public profile in Iran prior to being selected as the country’s new supreme leader.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed “disappointment” over the decision by senior Iranian clerics to appoint him. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said: “I don’t believe he can live in peace.”
Despite Trump’s reaction, it remains uncertain whether the White House is pursuing regime change in Tehran as a central goal of its military campaign. Analysts say that airstrikes alone are unlikely to remove Iran’s leadership.
Meanwhile, there are no indications that the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran’s military and strategic infrastructure are close to ending. Air and naval strikes have intensified this week, while Iran has increased its retaliatory actions, including attacks on tankers operating in or near the Strait of Hormuz.
Khamenei also declared on Thursday that Iran intends to seek compensation from its enemies “or destroy their assets accordingly.”
