Tehran – March 2026 In his first public address since being appointed Supreme Leader following the death of his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes, Mojtaba Khamenei delivered a defiant message read out on Iranian state television. The new leader has not appeared in person, adding to speculation about his health and security posture.
Key excerpts from the message:
- Strait of Hormuz Closure: Khamenei declared the vital shipping chokepoint — through which ~20% of global oil passes — will remain closed as “a tool of pressure” against the West and Israel.
- U.S. Bases in Gulf States: He warned that Tehran would continue targeting American military facilities in neighboring countries unless they are shut down, saying: “We only targeted these military bases (and) we will continue, we will have to continue and do so.”
- Demand for Compensation: Khamenei insisted the U.S. and Israel pay reparations for their “crimes,” referring to both nations solely as “the enemy.”
- Praise for Proxies: He thanked the “Resistance Front” — specifically the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and pro-Iran militias in Iraq — calling them Iran’s “best friends” and urging them to keep fighting.
- Eulogy to Father: Khamenei honored his late father, describing seeing his body after “martyrdom” as witnessing “a mountain of strength.”
- School Strike Vengeance: Directly referencing the March strike on Shajareh Tayyiba school in Minab (which Iranian state media claims killed 168 children and 14 teachers), he vowed: “We will be especially sensitive regarding the blood of our children,” promising revenge.
The message, delivered amid ongoing nationwide protests, a near-total internet blackout, and reports of thousands killed in regime crackdowns, signals no softening of Iran’s confrontational stance. Oil markets reacted immediately, with Brent crude futures rising on renewed Strait of Hormuz fears.
