TEHRAN — In his first public address as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to avenge the deaths of those killed in the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel, revealing the profound personal toll the war has taken on his family .
The address, read on state television on Thursday, comes less than two weeks after US-Israeli strikes killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several family members .
“My deep sympathy with the families of the martyrs stems from a shared experience,” the new leader stated. “I lost my father, I lost my wife. My sister lost her child as well as her husband” .
‘Blood of the Martyrs’
Khamenei, who was appointed by the Assembly of Experts following his father’s death on February 28, promised that Iran would not abandon its pursuit of retribution .
“I assure everyone that we will not overlook avenging the blood of your martyrs,” he declared . He emphasized that this vengeance extends beyond the leadership, stating that “every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy is an independent subject in the file of revenge” .
He specifically referenced a strike on a girls’ school in the city of Minab that reportedly killed over 170 people, describing it as a deliberate crime that demands a response .
Strategic Threats
The address contained stark warnings for the region. Khamenei endorsed the continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping route, describing it as necessary “leverage” against the West .
He also issued a direct challenge to neighboring countries hosting American military installations. “I advise them to close those bases as soon as possible,” Khamenei said, adding that America’s claim of bringing security has been “nothing but a lie” .
The new leader warned that Iran has studied options for opening new fronts against the enemy and would activate them if the conflict continues .
A Heavy Mantle
Acknowledging the weight of his new position, Khamenei described succeeding both Imam Khomeini and his father as a “heavy burden” . He recounted viewing his father’s body after the attack, describing him as a “mountain of steadfastness” with his “fists tightly clenched” .
The address signals that under its new leader, Iran intends to maintain its confrontational stance, with the potential for further escalation in the already volatile West Asian region.
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