FILE – Mojtaba Khameni
TEHRAN – 12 March 2026: Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that Tehran must continue closing the Strait of Hormuz, brushing aside warnings from US President Donald Trump against blocking the vital global oil route.
Khamenei issued his first message since his appointment as supreme leader following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, on the first day of US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
He vowed “revenge” for those killed in the war.
“The demand of the masses is to continue an effective and deterrent defense that leaves the enemy regretful,” Khamenei said in his message.
‘Hormuz Strait Must Stay Closed’
“The option of closing the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used,” he said.
Iran has blocked the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes, since the start of the war.
Concerns have grown that Iran could deploy hundreds of naval mines in the waterway, a move that could effectively halt shipping for a prolonged period and maintain turmoil in global energy markets.
An Iranian armed forces spokesman on Wednesday said they will not allow “even one liter of oil” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz for the benefit of “the US and its allies,” according to the state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
Iran has warned that oil prices could surge to $200 per barrel if the war continues.
In recent hours, several vessels have reportedly come under attack in the strait.
‘US Bases Remain Targets’
The US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets have triggered retaliatory attacks by Iran targeting several countries in the region that host US military bases.
Khamenei said that while Iran insists on maintaining friendly relations with neighboring countries, it will continue targeting US bases located on their territory.
He claimed Iranian strikes were directed solely at American bases and not at the host countries themselves, urging those nations to shut these facilities.
“I advise them to close those bases as soon as possible, as they should have realized by now that America’s claims of bringing security and peace were nothing but lies,” Khamenei said.
‘New War Fronts’
Khamenei also warned that Iran is studying the possibility of opening “other fronts where the enemy lacks sufficient experience and will be highly vulnerable.”
He said these fronts could be activated if the war continues, in line with what serves Iran’s national interests.
‘Iran Won’t Abandon Vengeance’
Addressing the Iranian public, Khamenei said the country will not abandon its vow of revenge for the blood of the victims.
“Every member of the nation who falls as a martyr at the hands of the enemy represents a separate case in the file of retaliation,” he stressed.
He said only “a limited part” of that retaliation has so far been carried out, adding that Iran would show particular sensitivity to the killing of children.
Khamenei condemned strikes on the Shajara Tayyiba School in Minab, which killed dozens of schoolgirls on the first day of the war, along with similar incidents.
Demanding Compensation
Khamenei said authorities must take sufficient and specific measures to compensate for financial losses suffered by private property and locations.
He added that Iran would demand compensation “from the enemy” for damage caused during the war.
“If the enemy refuses to pay, we will take from its assets in an amount we deem appropriate,” he said. “If that proves impossible, we will destroy an equivalent value of its property.”
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