Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Thursday that the country would keep the Strait of Hormuz blocked in response to enemy attacks. In a statement read on state television, he called on neighboring countries to shut all U.S. military bases on their soil, warning that Iran would continue its operations if they did not comply.
Khamenei assured the Iranian people that the blood of martyrs would not be forgotten and vowed to maintain strong defensive measures. The Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes, was highlighted as a key strategic leverage.
Following his statement, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced they would continue to block the route. On the same day, two tankers in an Iraqi port were set ablaze in suspected Iranian attacks, while three other ships in the Gulf were also struck, escalating tensions in the region.
The conflict has so far claimed around 2,000 lives and severely disrupted global energy supplies. Iran has stated that oil shipments will only resume once U.S. and Israeli attacks cease, while OPEC has responded by increasing Saudi oil production to stabilize markets.
