By Goran_tek-en, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115671987
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s supreme leader is striking a defiant tone as tensions with the United States continue to escalate over control of the Strait of Hormuz and the country’s nuclear program.
In a statement released Thursday, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Tehran will maintain control over the strategically vital waterway, vowing to end what he described as “the enemy’s abuses” and impose new management over shipping in the region.
The remarks come as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have stalled, with Pakistan-mediated talks between Washington and Tehran at an impasse. A fragile ceasefire remains in place, but both sides continue to enforce competing blockades, with Iran restricting traffic through the strait and the United States targeting Iranian oil exports with a naval embargo.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical chokepoint for global energy markets, typically carrying about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. Its continued closure has sharply reduced vessel traffic and contributed to rising global energy prices, raising concerns about broader economic impacts.
Khamenei also signalled Iran will not back down on its nuclear and missile programs, calling them national assets.
“Ninety million proud and honourable Iranians … will protect [these capabilities] just as they protect the country’s waters, land and airspace,” he said in the statement.
The U.S. has cited Iran’s nuclear ambitions as a central justification for its military campaign, arguing the strikes were intended to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran maintains its program is for peaceful purposes.
Khamenei, who assumed leadership following the death of his father earlier this year, has not appeared publicly since the conflict began but has continued to issue statements through state media.
Global powers have raised concerns about the long-term implications of the standoff, with efforts to reopen the strait and restore oil flows making little progress.
With both sides holding firm and negotiations showing few signs of movement, analysts warn the conflict risks becoming a prolonged confrontation with significant consequences for global energy markets and regional stability.
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