In a written message published on Thursday, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, proclaimed that a “new chapter” for the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz is already unfolding, two months after the United States and Israel launched their illegal military campaign against the Islamic Republic. The Supreme Leader, who was severely wounded in the February 28 strike that assassinated his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared that the “United States’ disgraceful defeat in its plans” has paved the way for a future without American interference in the Gulf. “By God’s help and power, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without America, one serving the progress, comfort and prosperity of its people,” Khamenei said, stressing that new legal and management frameworks for the waterway would bring stability and economic benefits to all regional nations.
Tehran’s Grip Tightens
The Supreme Leader’s remarks come as the US Navy struggles to enforce an illegal blockade of Iranian ports, a measure Tehran has denounced as “armed piracy” and a violation of the fragile ceasefire. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that any attempt to impose a maritime blockade “is contrary to international law… and is doomed to fail,” adding that such measures would be “a disruption to lasting stability in the Persian Gulf.” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has emerged as a key wartime figure, echoed this sentiment, stating that Iran’s control of Hormuz would allow Tehran to “provide itself and its neighbours with the precious blessing of a future free from American presence and interference.”
Oil Prices Skyrocket
The stance from Tehran has sent shockwaves through global energy markets. Brent crude briefly surged more than 7% to a four-year high of $126 a barrel on Thursday, as fears of a prolonged closure of the strait rattled traders. The International Energy Agency has declared that “the world is facing the biggest energy crisis in history,” while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the closure of Hormuz is “strangling the global economy.” The European Central Bank has cautioned that the longer the war and high energy prices continue, “the stronger is the likely impact on broader inflation and the economy.”
US Faces Isolation Amid Internal Turmoil
President Donald Trump, facing mounting domestic pressure to end an unpopular war that has driven up costs for American consumers, is reportedly weighing fresh military action. According to Axios, Trump is expected to receive a briefing on new plans for potential strikes from the head of US Central Command. However, the administration’s isolation is becoming increasingly apparent. While Washington claims to have redirected “42 commercial vessels attempting to violate the blockade,” it has been unable to secure the backing of European allies for its maritime mission.