First Message from Mojtaba Khamenei: Vows Continued Defense of Iran

Mojtaba Khamenei issued his first message after being selected as Iran’s leader, stating that Iran will not abandon “revenge for the blood of those killed,” stressing that the issue goes beyond the death of the country’s previous leader. In the message published Thursday by Iranian media, he expressed sympathy with families of victims of recent attacks and said that any Iranian citizen killed by enemies would become “an independent case for pursuing retaliation.” He added that part of the response has already been carried out and will continue until it reaches its “full extent.” Khamenei praised Iran’s armed forces for countering what he described as enemy aggression and said the country could still use the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic tool. He also noted that the possibility of opening new fronts against enemies is being considered if the war continues. He thanked groups aligned with Iran—described as the “resistance front”—including Hezbollah, forces in Iraq, and Houthis for their support. Khamenei also warned regional countries that if bases on their territory are used to launch attacks on Iran, those bases could become targets. At the same time, he said Tehran still seeks “warm and constructive” relations with neighboring states. He concluded by thanking the Iranian public and officials for their support and emphasizing the importance of national unity during the current crisis.