TEHRAN: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Friday that the country’s enemies had been “defeated,” claiming Iran had delivered a “dizzying blow” in its ongoing war with the United States and Israel.
In a lengthy written message marking Persian New Year, Nowruz, Khamenei praised national unity and resilience, presenting the conflict as a test that Iran was overcoming.
The message which was published on official media and his Telegram channel, is one of several statements he has issued since assuming leadership following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike at the outset of the war on February 28.
Despite taking power nearly two weeks ago, Mojtaba Khamenei has yet to appear publicly in a video or audio address, with Iranian officials suggesting he may have been injured in the same strike that killed his father.
“At the moment, due to the particular unity that has been created between you our compatriots — despite all the differences in religious, intellectual, cultural and political origins — the enemy has been defeated,” Khamenei said.
He described the conflict with Israel and the United States as the third major confrontation faced by Iran within a year, referencing both the brief June 2025 war with Israel and internal unrest earlier this year, which Tehran has blamed on foreign interference.
By maintaining unity, Iranians had “dealt him (the enemy) a dizzying blow so that he now starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense,” he added.
Khamenei also accused Israel and the United States of believing that the killing of senior Iranian leaders would weaken the country and create instability.
He further denied any Iranian involvement in attacks on Oman and Turkey, blaming what he called “deception by the Zionist enemy” and alleging the use of false-flag operations to sow division between Iran and its regional neighbors.
The Iranian leader described Israel’s actions as a “serious miscalculation,” accusing it of attempting to overthrow Iran’s political system. He predicted that national unity would continue to strengthen, while Iran’s adversaries would grow weaker in the coming year.
Strait of Hormuz crisis
The conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for around one-fifth of global oil supplies.
A group of major powers — including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands — said they were ready to support efforts to ensure safe passage through the waterway.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said allies were discussing options to reopen the route, amid rising concerns over global energy security.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides to end the conflict, warning it risked spiralling out of control.
