“Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights and considers all resistance fronts as a unified entity,” Khamenei added.
Iran will move the management of the strategic Strait of Hormuz into a new phase, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in a written statement read out on state TV.
“Iran is not seeking war but will not forfeit its rights and considers all resistance fronts as a unified entity,” the statement added.
The statement, released on the 40th day since the assassination of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, praised the former leader. “For forty days, the exalted soul of our martyred leader has been in divine proximity, joined among the righteous,” said Khamenei’s apparent statement.
Turning to the war itself, the statement quoted Khamenei as saying that Iran had emerged victorious “despite the enemy’s aggression and losses suffered,” adding, “with certainty that the Iranian nation has achieved victory.”
“The rise of the Islamic Republic as a major power and the decline of global arrogance are presented as visible to all,” said the statement.
Photo of Mojtaba Khamenei broadcasted on Thursday, March 12. (credit: SCREENSHOT/MEHR NEWS)
“For forty days, the devoted followers of the revolution have stood with courage in the fields, streets, and battlefronts,” continued the apparent statement. “The Iranian people, though grieving, turned their sorrow into resistance and determination, astonishing their enemies and inspiring observers worldwide.”
Addressing Iran’s neighbors in the region, the statement said that Iran is still awaiting an appropriate response from them “so that we may show you our brotherhood and goodwill.”
Khamenei is quoted as calling on supporters to continue demonstrations, noting that they are “critical” even during a ceasefire.
The statement concluded with recommendations to the Iranian public, advising them to “guard their ears” against “hostile or enemy-aligned media.”
Second written statement attributed to Khamenei
The statement released on Thursday is the second such statement attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen since the war began on February 28.
Khamenei’s first apparent message, released on March 12, was described by a knowledgeable source in Tehran as having been dictated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and released under Khamenei’s own authorship.
According to a diplomatic memo cited by The Times on Tuesday, Khamenei is currently incapacitated and receiving medical treatment in the Shi’ite holy city of Hom.
The memo, said to be based on American and Israeli intelligence and shared with Gulf allies, allegedly states that Khamenei is unconscious and in severe condition, rendering him unable to participate in regime decision-making, though the claims have not been independently verified.
According to The Times, the memo appears to be the first document that reports Khamenei’s location, a detail not previously made public.
In addition, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in comments to the press on Wednesday that Khamenei was wounded and disfigured.