Iran signals hardline course under Mojtaba Khamenei, vows Hormuz blockade and strikes on US bases

Iran issued its first public message in the name of Mojtaba Khamenei, pledging to keep the Hormuz Strait closed and to continue attacks on US bases, while portraying a hardline stance linked to the IRGC. The missive, read on state TV, calls for US compensation and threatens asset destruction if Washington refuses, praises regional allies like the Houthis and Hezbollah, and urges Gulf states to sever ties with the US. It comes amid questions about Khamenei’s health after the attack on his father’s compound and references a broader push to confront the United States in the region.