Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei released a message after a long absence, addressing military actions taken in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Today, because of the painful blows they have suffered at the hands of the valiant [Iranian] fighters and the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz, they dare not advance beyond the Arabian Sea,” Khamenei said in a message shared on social media. “It won’t be long before the Arabian Sea rids itself of their presence too.”
“Days have come in which the aggressive hegemonic powers themselves, and not merely their proxies, seek shelter from the attacks of Islam’s soldiers and plead for an end to the war,” he added. “Those days to which the enemies long to return Iran were days of backwardness, humiliation, dependency. And the days we live in today are overflowing with progress, dignity, independence, and an elevated level of reputability in the Islamic world and indeed across the globe.”
The statement comes as President Trump recently rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal.
“I’m rejecting their deal. They want to make a deal where they open the Strait immediately because they’re losing so badly,” he told reporters. “But we’re winning tremendously.”
“We have total control of the Hormuz Strait. Massive amounts of oil are coming out of the Hormuz Strait. Last night, we had 29 ships come out,” he said. “They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal too. But that deal would not be acceptable.”
Iran has also warned that it would expand the war’s borders should the United States or Israel strike the country again.
