Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since succeeding his father, allegedly vowed retaliation against the United States and Israel and called for national unity in his first public message released on March 12, according to his official website. 

He made the comments as the Islamic Republic grapples with a widening regional war following the killing of his father, Ali Khamenei, according to khamenei.ir.

The key points of the statement include: 

• Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz: says the blockade must continue as it is the country’s main lever of pressure on its enemies.
• Threat of new fronts: Tehran is prepared to open new fronts “where the enemy has little experience and will be extremely vulnerable” if the war continues.
• Pressure on Gulf states: Regional countries hosting US bases were urged to close them, with Khamenei calling US promises of regional security “lies.” The message was clearly directed at Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
• Limited targeting: Iran is attacking only US bases, not the host countries themselves, in an attempt to avoid dragging neighbouring states directly into the conflict.
• Retaliation pledge: Iran will retaliate for the attack on a girls’ school in south-eastern Iran, which the New York Times reported the US was responsible for.
• Personal losses disclosed: For the first time, Khamenei said the strikes had killed members of his family — his father, wife, sister, his sister’s child and another sister’s husband.
• Larijani warning: Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, wrote on X: “Starting a war is easy, but winning it with a few tweets is not possible. We will not retreat.”

Donald Trump replied on Truth Social that US oil revenues are rising alongside prices, but said his top priority is “stopping the evil empire” and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.

The written statement, published on the official Khamenei.ir website and broadcast on state television, sets out the ideological and strategic contours of Iran’s leadership transition at a moment of acute military confrontation.

It blends appeals for domestic unity with warnings of further escalation, underscoring Tehran’s determination to sustain military pressure while preserving political cohesion at home.

Opening his message with a tribute to the former leader, Mojtaba Khamenei described assuming the post once held by Ruhollah Khomeini and Ali Khamenei as a “difficult” responsibility.

He said he learned of the Assembly of Experts’ decision to appoint him at the same time as the public via state television, calling himself a “servant” of the Iranian people rather than a successor comparable to the previous leader.

“The seat once occupied by the great Imam and the martyred leader makes this task heavy,” he wrote, praising his father’s decades-long leadership and the manner of his death. He said he had seen the body after the killing and described it as a “mountain of steadfastness”.

A central theme of the statement was the role of the public during the period immediately after Ali Khamenei’s death, when Iran temporarily lacked a supreme leader or commander-in-chief. Mojtaba Khamenei said the population’s resilience had sustained the state at a critical moment.

“The insight and courage of the great nation of Iran in the recent events astonished friends and enemies alike,” he wrote. “It was you, the people, who led the country and guaranteed its authority.”

He urged citizens to maintain unity and visible political participation, warning that leadership institutions could not function effectively without public backing. “If your power does not appear on the scene,” he said, “neither the leadership nor the institutions that serve the people will have the necessary effectiveness.”

The message repeatedly framed the ongoing conflict as an attack led by Washington and Israel against Iran and its allies. Mojtaba Khamenei praised Iranian forces for delivering “crushing blows” to the enemy and called for continued military resistance.

“The demand of the masses of the people is the continuation of effective and regret-inducing defence,” he wrote.

He also signalled that Tehran intends to maintain economic and strategic pressure through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints. “The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used,” he said, adding that Iranian officials were studying the possibility of opening additional fronts where adversaries would be “highly vulnerable”.

The new leader reaffirmed Iran’s support for what it calls the “axis of resistance”, thanking allied groups and governments that have backed Tehran in the conflict.

He cited support from Yemeni, Lebanese and Iraqi groups aligned with Iran, describing the resistance front as an “inseparable” component of the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary identity.

A major portion of the message focused on retaliation for those killed during the war, including civilians. Mojtaba Khamenei pledged that Iran would pursue vengeance beyond the killing of his father.

“We will not ignore revenge for the blood of your martyrs,” he wrote. “Every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy becomes an independent case for revenge.”

He said some retaliation had already occurred but warned that the campaign would continue until it reached its “complete extent”. Particular emphasis was placed on attacks that killed children, including a strike on a school in the southern city of Minab, which he described as a crime requiring special attention.

The statement also carried a warning to regional governments hosting US military facilities. Iran, he said, had already struck some bases used in attacks against its territory while avoiding direct action against the countries themselves.

“In the recent assault some military bases were used,” he wrote. “As we had warned, we targeted those bases without attacking the countries hosting them.”

Tehran would continue doing so if necessary, he said, urging regional states to shut down foreign military installations and “determine their position” regarding those responsible for attacks on Iran.

Despite the warning, Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran still sought stable relations with neighbouring states, noting that the country shares land or maritime borders with 15 neighbours and remains open to “warm and constructive relations”.

He concluded by pledging loyalty to the path set by his father and the founders of the Islamic Republic.

“We pledge to strive with all our strength for the elevation of this banner,” he wrote, referring to what he called the “front of truth”, and expressed hope that Iran would achieve decisive victory in the ongoing war.