Iran new leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, don break silence with strong talk. For im first big public statement since taking office, e declare say regional countries no go again serve as ground for US military bases.
Di statement come after US Central Command acknowledge say dem carry out strikes on missile sites and boats for southern Iran overnight. Khamenei write 14-page message for Eid al-Adha holiday and hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Inside di message, e say US no get any safe haven for region for aggression and establishment of military bases again. E add say di hands of time no go turn backwards, and di nations and lands of di region no go again serve as shield for American bases.
Khamenei, wey be 56 years old, never appear for public since e take over from im papa Ali Khamenei, wey die for US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February wey open di war. Di message wey state-run television carry on Tuesday na di most extensive public message wey dem attribute to am since e take office. International outlets don report before say Mojtaba Khamenei get serious injury and need plenty surgery, but Tehran never comment on those reports.
US CENTCOM say dem target missile sites and boats wey dey try lay mines for southern Iran. Dem describe di operations as self-defence and insist say dem no plan to break ceasefire framework. But Iran foreign ministry reject that one, accuse US of flagrant violation of ceasefire for Hormozgan region for di past 48 hours. Di ministry say Islamic Republic of Iran no go leave any act of aggression unanswered and no go hesitate for one moment to defend di integrity of Iran.
Iran state-run media report explosions for di port city of Bandar Abbas, but no give details. Domestic outlets separate say four IRGC members die for di incident, but Tehran never officially confirm di US strikes. IRGC separate say dem don down one US drone and fire at other aircraft wey dey try enter Iranian airspace, but no say when di incidents happen.
For sea, UK Maritime Trade Operations centre report say external explosion strike one tanker approximately 60 nautical miles east of Oman capital Muscat, near di waterline at di port-side stern. Di crew dey safe but fuel dey leak into di sea. Di military escalation come as Iranian negotiators dey Doha for talks with Qatari counterparts on possible peace framework. IRGC-affiliated media say parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf don return to Tehran after di talks.
Khamenei message also praise what e call Resistance Front across di region and describe Hamas 7 October attack on Israel as storm of Aqsa. E say na di weapon of Allahu Akbar wey bring Israel breath to im final count. Nasser Arasteh, deputy head of di ayatollah military advisory body, echo di statement tone, say for future, United States no go get place for Persian Gulf, and dis one go realise either with war or without war.
Iran foreign ministry don acknowledge say Tehran and Washington don reach understandings on many issues, but say final agreement no dey imminent.
