Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday criticized the United States, calling it the “Great Satan” and indicating a lack of concessions on Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.In a written statement read on state television, Khamenei said Iran’s strategic programs remain non-negotiable and are central to national sovereignty. He also said that Americans have no place in the Arabian Gulf region.He said, according to what was reported by the Associated Press: “We and our neighbors across the waters of the Persian Gulf and (the Gulf of) Oman share a common fate. Foreigners who come from thousands of kilometers to work with greed and hatred have no place in it – except at the bottom of its waters.”He also described Iran’s technological and military capabilities as national assets that the people will protect. “Ninety million proud and honorable Iranians inside and outside the country consider all spiritual, humanitarian, scientific, industrial and technological capabilities based on Iran’s identity – from nanotechnology and biotechnology to nuclear and missile capabilities – as national assets, and they will protect them just as they protect the country’s waters, land and airspace,” Khamenei said.
These statements come amid escalating tensions in West Asia, where Iran’s oil sector is reportedly under pressure due to restrictions affecting tanker movement. The turmoil coincided with fluctuations in global oil prices, with Brent crude previously reaching $126 per barrel.The Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly a fifth of global oil and gas flows pass, remains central to the standoff. Iran’s strategic location on the waterway has increased volatility in energy markets and increased pressure on the United States as it considers its response.As the fragile ceasefire continues, the United States and Iran remain embroiled in disputes over sanctions, nuclear negotiations, and maritime control. Tehran also put forward proposals to postpone talks on its nuclear program, while Washington asserts that its goal is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran insists that its nuclear program is peaceful, but it has enriched uranium to levels approaching weapons-grade levels.Khamenei also linked Iran’s regional situation to broader geopolitical change, saying that the future of the Persian Gulf should be shaped by regional powers rather than external actors.He noted that Iran would continue to assert its position on the Strait of Hormuz and called for what he described as a “new management” framework for the waterway. The Arab Gulf states and much of the international community view the strait as an important international corridor for global trade.
