Iran’s newly installed supreme leader has issued a stark warning to Gulf states, demanding the immediate removal of American troops from their territories or risk further military attacks.
In his first public message since taking power, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, vowed that Iran would continue striking targets across the Gulf region unless countries hosting U.S. forces expelled them.
The statement, broadcast on Iranian state television, comes amid escalating tensions following a wave of U.S.-Israeli air strikes against Iran that killed the country’s longtime leader and several members of his family on the first day of the conflict.
“If U.S. bases remain in the Gulf, the attacks will continue,” Khamenei said in the written statement, warning that Iran would intensify its military response if Western forces were not withdrawn.
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Since the start of the conflict, Gulf states hosting American military installations have been targeted by a series of Iranian drone and missile strikes aimed at critical infrastructure and transportation networks. The attacks have heightened fears of a wider regional war involving Iran and Western allies.
Khamenei also called for the continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. The move is intended to exert pressure on global energy markets and countries supporting the U.S.-led military campaign.
Analysts say any sustained disruption to shipping in the narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman could send global oil prices sharply higher and trigger major economic consequences.
In the same message, the 56-year-old cleric warned that Iran could open “other fronts” where the United States and its allies remain vulnerable, signalling the possibility of expanded operations beyond the Gulf region.
Khamenei also pledged revenge for what he described as the deaths of Iranian civilians during the opening phase of the war. He specifically referred to an incident in which a girls’ school was reportedly struck during a U.S. missile strike, killing more than 150 children, teachers and parents.
“We will avenge the blood of our martyrs,” he said.
Despite assuming leadership, Khamenei has not yet appeared publicly, fuelling speculation about his health following the initial bombardment that killed his father. Reports circulating inside Iran suggest he may have been seriously injured during the strikes, though these claims remain unverified.
The leadership transition has taken place at a moment of intense instability across the Middle East, with Iran facing mounting military pressure while continuing to threaten retaliation against Western forces and their regional allies.
Regional governments and international observers fear the latest warning could signal a new phase of confrontation if Tehran follows through on its threats against countries hosting U.S. military bases.
