In his first message, Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said the leverage of closing the Strait of Hormuz will continue. He added that Iran's attacks on Gulf Arab neighbours will also not stop.
"We will not forgo revenge for the blood of the martyrs," he said. "The tool for closing the Strait of Hormuz must be preserved, and if necessary, other fronts must be opened."
Speaking about strikes on GCC nations, he said, "We believe in friendship with our neighbors, but we will target the American bases and will inevitably continue."
This comes a day after a UN Security Council resolution demanding Iran to stop strikes on its Gulf neighbours. India and more than 130 other nations co-sponsored the UN Security Council resolution that condemned the "egregious" attacks by Iran against the GCC countries. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates were among the latest targets of Iran's attacks.
However, Mojtaba did not appear on camera. His first statement as Supreme Leader was read on state television by a news anchor. Israeli security sources indicate that he was wounded during the war's opening salvo.
On Thursday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the world would need to recognise Iran's "legitimate rights," pay reparations and offer guarantees against future attacks if it should stop attacks on Gulf states.
