Tehran [Iran], March 12 (ANI): In his first statement to the Iranian people, the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, vowed vengeance for those who lost their lives in the ongoing war.
In his first-ever statement as supreme leader, Khamenei also called for the continued use of the strategic leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
“I assure everyone that we will not forgo vengeance for the blood of your martyrs. The vengeance we have in mind is not limited to the martyrdom of the great leader of the Revolution; rather, every member of the nation who is martyred by the enemy constitutes an independent subject in the file of vengeance,” he said.
“Only a limited amount of blood revenge for the martyrs has so far taken concrete form, but until it is fully achieved, this case will remain on top of all other cases. The crime that the enemy has deliberately committed regarding the Minab Tayyibah Tree School and some similar cases holds a special status in this reckoning,” he added.
In a strongly worded statement, Khamenei, who took over from his late father, said that only limited retaliation has so far been carried out.
“We will exact reparations from the enemy, and if it refuses, we will seize from its assets as much as we deem necessary; and if that too proves impossible, we will destroy an equivalent portion of its assets,” he said.
“Only a limited amount of blood revenge for the martyrs has so far taken concrete form, but until it is fully achieved, this case will remain on top of all other cases. The crime that the enemy has deliberately committed regarding the Minab School and some similar cases holds a special status in this reckoning,” he added.
Mojtaba Khamenei called on the Iranian people to remain steadfast as the US-Israel-led campaign against Iran continues.
“Leaders, we pledge to you to strive with all our might to raise this flag, which is the main flag of the Righteous Front, and to achieve your sacred goals. An effective presence on the scene must be maintained, whether in the way you demonstrated yourself in these days and nights of war or in the form of various effective role-playing activities. I would like to remind you of the importance of attending the Quds Day 1447 ceremony, in which the element of breaking the enemy must be the focus of everyone’s attention,” he said.
Khamenei also endorsed the Iranian military’s move to block the Strait of Hormuz for merchant vessels, which has disrupted global fuel supplies.
“Dear fighter brothers! The desire of the masses of the people is the continuation of effective and regret-inducing defense. Furthermore, the leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used,” he said.
Khamenei also thanked Hezbollah and the Yemen-based Houthis for their support to the Islamic Republic.
“Without a doubt, the solidarity of the components of the resistance front will shorten the path to liberation from the Zionist sedition. The brave and faithful Yemen did not stop defending the oppressed people of Gaza, and the devoted Hezbollah has come to the aid of the Islamic Republic despite all obstacles, and the Iraqi resistance has courageously taken the same line,” he said.
In an emotional part of his statement, Mojtaba Khamenei said honoring the legacy of his father and the first Imam, Ayatollah Khomeini, would be a difficult responsibility.
“For me, leaning upon a place that has been the seat of two great leaders, the great Khomeini and the martyred Khamenei, is a difficult task. I had the honor of visiting their body after martyrdom; what I saw was a mountain of steadfastness,” he said.
The address marks Khamenei’s rise to the top of Iran’s theocratic leadership system. His tone and remarks suggest that the West Asia conflict is far from over and that US and Israeli forces may face intensified resistance. (ANI)
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