In his first official address since being proclaimed as the Islamic republic’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei issued a stern vow on Thursday to avenge the deaths recorded since the start of the war with the US and Israel.
In a statement read by a state television presenter, the 56-year-old leader—who succeeded his father following the February 28 strikes—declared, “A limited amount of this revenge has so far taken concrete form, but until it is fully achieved, this case will remain among our priorities,”
Khamenei’s message, delivered while he remains out of the public eye due to reported injuries, outlined a policy of direct retribution against the enemy.
He asserted, “We will seek compensation from the enemy, and if they refuse, we will take as much of their property as we determine, and if that is not possible, we will destroy the same amount of his property,”
This ultimatum comes as Iran’s health ministry reports over 1,200 deaths and more than 10,000 civilian injuries since the conflict began.
The Supreme Leader explicitly demanded the removal of American forces from the region, calling for the closure of US bases and stating that “the claim of establishing security and peace by America was nothing more than a lie.”
On the economic front, he advocated for the strategic use of “the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz” to pressure adversaries.
Khamenei concluded by thanking Iran’s regional allies, including Hezbollah and the Houthis, affirming their role by stating, “We consider the countries of the Resistance Front our best friends, and the cause of resistance and the Resistance Front are an inseparable part of the values of the Islamic Revolution,”
Shortly after the broadcast, the Revolutionary Guards announced they had launched strikes on US bases and Israel as a tribute to the Khamenei family.
