Iran’s new ‘Supreme Leader,’ Mojtaba Khamenei, made bold threats and demands in his first public statement since taking office four days ago.
Mojtaba, the son and the successor of Iran’s recently killed tyrant, Ali Khamenei, declared that his regime forces will keep the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint. “The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” Khamenei Jr. declared in a statement read out on the main state-run TV channel.
“We will not refrain from avenging the blood of the martyrs,” he threatened, referring to his father and several dozen top regime operatives eliminated in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Mojtaba, who has not been seen in public since taking the office, is believed to have been injured in the opening strikes of Operation Epic Fury that killed his father. According to The New York Times, regime “[o]fficials say Mojtaba Khamenei’s legs were hurt, but the circumstances as well as the extent of his injuries were unclear.”
The news Iranian dictator, while hiding from his own people, demanded that the United States and Israel pay war reparations or face “destruction” of “their assets accordingly.”
The new Ayatullah also thanked Iranian proxy terror groups, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, and Yemen’s Houthis, for dragging their countries into the conflict.
Israel’s Ynetnews covered Mojtaba’s address:
Twelve days after his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the opening strike of the war — while he himself was only lightly wounded — Mojtaba Khamenei, who was appointed as his father’s successor as supreme leader on Thursday afternoon released his first message. The statement was read on his behalf by an announcer on Iranian state television. The new Iranian leader has not been seen in public since the war began and has yet to appear on camera.In the statement, Mojtaba Khamenei called for the struggle against the United States and Israel to continue, urged that the Strait of Hormuz remain closed and vowed: “We will not refrain from avenging the blood of the martyrs.”Khamenei’s son also promised that attacks on Gulf states would continue. He called on those countries to shut down the American bases on their territory. “We believe in friendship with our neighbors and are targeting only military bases. We will be forced to continue these attacks,” he said.He thanked the “fighters of the resistance front” — Iran’s network of allied militias and groups across the Middle East — describing them as “Iran’s best sons.” Khamenei’s son also demanded compensation from “the enemies” and warned that if it was not paid, Iran would “destroy” their assets to the same extent. In his speech he called on the Iranian public to take part Friday in rallies marking Quds Day (Jerusalem Day), when Iran marks its opposition to Israel and Zionism.He also thanked Iran’s proxies, noting Hezbollah’s entry into the fighting. “We saw how Hezbollah supported the Islamic Republic despite all the obstacles, and the Iraqi resistance continued bravely,” he said.
The Ayatullah’s address comes as the war enters its decisive phase. On Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “most intensive phase of the war” is about to begin as Israel plans to reach its military aims in the next two to three weeks.
Hours later, Iran and Hezbollah launched simultaneous drone and missile barrages at Israel, the biggest coordinated attack of its kind since the war began twelve days ago. Hundreds of Hezbollah drones and rockets breached Israeli airspace as Iranian ballistic missiles targeted Jerusalem.
The Israeli military has launched a counter-offensive, striking Iranian and Hezbollah leadership and command centers, as well as their missile stockpile and launch sites.
The IDF military, on Thursday evening, announced the elimination of Quds Forces’ commander Ali Muslim Tab. He commanded Iran’s notorious Imam Hossein Division, which has thousands of terrorist fighters operating in countries across the Middle East.
“The IDF said an airstrike killed Ali Muslim Tabaja, commander of the Iranian Imam Hossein Division, along with several senior operatives involved in attacks on Israel,” the Israel National News reported. “The Imam Hussein Division is a military force used by the Iranian Quds Force to strengthen the Iranian axis and to operate against the IDF and Israeli civilians.”
Israeli armed forces are also targeting Iran’s Basij militia, charged with suppressing the anti-regime uprising. In precision strikes across Tehran, the Israeli fighter jets hit Basij checkpoints and forces–signalling support for pro-democracy protests.
The Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported Thursday evening:
The IDF said a short while ago that the Israeli Air Force struck roadblocks and operatives from Iran’s Basij Force that had recently been established across Tehran.According to the military, the strikes followed intelligence indicating that Basij soldiers had set up roadblocks in several locations in the Iranian capital after many Iranian internal security assets were degraded in recent operations. The IDF said the air force targeted the roadblocks and the operatives manning them over the past day.The Basij force is part of Iran’s security apparatus and has been responsible for suppressing internal protests, including through mass arrests and the use of force against demonstrators, the IDF said. The military added that the strikes are part of ongoing efforts to damage the Iranian regime’s military systems and operational capabilities.
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