Still defiant Iran’s injured supreme leader rejects Trump’s demands, vows to keep nuclear, missile systems intact
Iran’s top leader, seriously injured and still out of public view, issued a forceful message Thursday pledging to defend the country’s nuclear and missile programs, while delivering a sharp warning to the United States about its presence in the Persian Gulf.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who assumed leadership after his father’s death but has not been seen publicly, released a statement through state media dismissing peace proposals from President Trump as well as the US naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.
In the statement, Khamenei emphasized that millions of Iranians view the nation’s scientific, industrial, and military capabilities, including nuclear and missile development, as essential national assets that must be protected at all costs. He also warned that foreign forces operating far from their own shores had no rightful place in the region, adding that any hostile presence would face severe consequences. He repeated Iran’s long-standing criticism of the United States, referring to it as the “Great Satan.”
President Trump has repeatedly stated that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a central objective of the conflict. Reports indicate that Iran still possesses a large stockpile of enriched uranium within its borders.
Earlier in the week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran must never be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, arguing that such a development would threaten the entire Middle East as well as US allies. He warned that Iran seeks greater regional influence and that nuclear capability would significantly increase that threat.
Iranian officials continue to deny accusations that their uranium program is intended for weapons development, maintaining that it is strictly for civilian energy purposes.
Khamenei’s statement also suggested that Iran would continue restricting access to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route. He hinted at what he described as a “new chapter” for the Persian Gulf, claiming Iran’s control of the strait would bring increased security under what he called new management and legal authority.
While most of the international community considers the Strait of Hormuz open to global navigation, Iran has taken steps to impose transit fees similar to those used in the Suez Canal. With Iran limiting passage and the United States enforcing its blockade, the strait — which normally handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil shipments — has been largely closed for weeks, disrupting global energy supplies.
As a result, oil prices surged, with Brent crude reaching 126 dollars per barrel on Thursday. At the same time, the average price of gasoline climbed to 4.30 dollars per gallon, according to AAA.
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