Tehran [Iran], May 26 (ANI): As the security situation continues to evolve in West Asia and the Gulf region, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned on Tuesday that the region would no longer serve as a shield for American military bases.
He made the remarks as the Hajj pilgrimage commenced.
Mojtaba Khamenei wrote on X, “The hand of time does not turn back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases. America will no longer have a safe haven for mischief and the establishment of military bases in the region.”
Earlier, Al Jazeera, citing the Council on Foreign Relations, reported that the United States operates a broad network of military sites, both permanent and temporary, across at least 19 locations in the region. These include Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
Khamenei continued his hardline stance in a series of posts on X, taking sharp aim at the United States and Israel.
He urged pilgrims to remain united and pray for “the liberation of Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque, the alleviation of the great hardships afflicting Muslims, and the attainment of ultimate victory against global arrogance.”
Stating that Islamic countries and nations in the region possess numerous shared capabilities and interests, Khamenei said they would shape the new order and “the future geometry of the region and the world.”
As the United States and Iran continue negotiations toward a potential peace agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday sharply criticized the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, calling for unrestricted maritime passage.
Rubio said the Strait of Hormuz should remain “open without tolls” and asserted that “no country in the world is accepting of a tolling system except Iran.”
“The strait needs to be open without tolls. What is happening there is unlawful, illegal, unsustainable and unacceptable. No country in the world is accepting of a tolling system except Iran,” Rubio said.
Speaking on the prospects of a diplomatic agreement with Iran, Rubio added, “President Donald Trump had a historic call with a number of leaders from the region, and I think there is a strong alignment and agreement on what a preliminary draft should look like. It will take a couple of days to settle on. Either there is going to be a good deal, or there isn’t going to be one.” (ANI)
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