Tehran [Iran], April 30 (ANI): Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday said a “new chapter is emerging” for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, following what he described as the “shameful failure” of the United States in the region. His remarks come amid heightened geopolitical tensions stemming from recent confrontations between Tehran and Washington and an ongoing power struggle over control of the strategic waterway.
In remarks delivered on the occasion of Persian Gulf Day and carried by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Khamenei said regional dynamics were shifting after recent geopolitical developments, claiming that foreign influence in the Gulf was weakening.
He stated that the Iranian nation had made “major sacrifices” over centuries to preserve regional independence and resist foreign domination.
Referring to historical events, Khamenei cited the expulsion of Portuguese forces from Hormuz in the 17th century and resistance against Dutch and British colonial presence as part of Iran’s long-standing struggle against external powers. He added that the 1979 Islamic Revolution marked a turning point that reduced foreign influence in the region.
“The Islamic Revolution was the turning point of these resistances in cutting off the hands of the arrogant powers from the Persian Gulf region, and today, two months after the largest military campaign and aggression by the world’s powers in the region and the shameful failure of America in its plan, a new chapter is emerging for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei said.
The Supreme Leader also referred to recent developments, stating that events in the region underscored the role of Iran’s military forces, including its army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in maintaining deterrence and opposing foreign presence.
He further alleged that the presence of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf contributes to regional insecurity and questioned Washington’s ability to ensure stability for its allies in the region.
“The nations of the Persian Gulf region, who had been accustomed for many years to the silence and humiliation of their rulers in the face of aggressors, have witnessed in recent weeks the steadfastness, vigilance, and resistance of the naval forces of the Army and the IRGC, alongside the resolve of the people and youth of southern Iran in rejecting foreign domination,” he said.
The message was issued on the occasion of Persian Gulf Day, observed annually on April 30 in Iran, which commemorates a historic victory against colonial forces and is often used to reinforce narratives of national sovereignty tied to the Gulf and its strategic waterways.
The day marks the defeat of Portuguese colonial forces and their expulsion from Hormuz Island in 1622. According to Press TV, Iranian ruler Abbas I led forces that defeated the Portuguese on Hormuz Island, ending a two-decade conflict and bringing to a close nearly a century of foreign control over the Persian Gulf. (ANI)
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