Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who replaced his slain father as the new supreme leader of Iran, issued his first statement on Thursday, where he said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed and vowed Iranian attacks on US bases in the region would continue.
“Certainly, the leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must also continue to be used,” Khamenei said in his message, which was issued as a written statement and read on Iranian TV. He suggested that Iran could open “other fronts” in the war and vowed there would be revenge for Iranians who have been killed, including more than 100 girls and boys who were killed by a US strike on an elementary school in the opening hours of the war.
“The retaliation we have in mind is not only related to the martyrdom of the great leader of the Revolution; rather, every member of the nation who is killed by the enemy becomes a separate case in the file of retaliation,” Khamenei said.
“Of course, a limited portion of this retaliation has already taken concrete form, but until it is fully realized, this file will remain open above the others. We will be especially sensitive regarding the blood of our children. Therefore, the crime the enemy deliberately committed against the Shajareh-Tayyebeh school in Minab, and certain similar cases, holds a particular place in this process of accountability,” he added.
The Iranian leader addressed regional countries, saying that Iran wants good relations with its neighbors but would continue targeting US bases as long as they remain. “From now on, we will again be compelled to continue doing this if necessary, although we still believe in the importance of maintaining friendly relations with those neighboring countries,” he said.
Khamenei also addressed the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran from 1989 until he was hit by an Israeli strike on February 28. Mojtaba Khamenei lost other family members in the attack, including his wife, mother, and sister.
“Leader! With your departure, you have inflicted a heavy grief upon the hearts of us all. You always longed for this end, and finally the Almighty granted it to you while you were reciting the Holy Qur’an on the morning of the tenth day of the blessed month of Ramadan,” Khamenei said.
So far, the younger Khamenei hasn’t made any public appearances since he was named the new leader by Iran’s Assembly of Experts. After he was appointed, massive rallies were held in Tehran and other major cities to show support for the new leader, one of the many signs that the US-Israeli bombing campaign is not bringing about regime change.
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