Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the future of the Persian Gulf will be "without America" in a televised statement on Thursday.
The declaration comes as tensions escalate between Tehran and Washington over a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The resolve to maintain strategic military assets suggests that Iran will not concede its nuclear or missile programs despite intensifying international pressure.
The message was read on Iranian state television, marking a defiant stance against what Tehran describes as U.S. and Israeli aggression [1, 2, 3]. Khamenei said the United States should stay out of the Gulf region [3]. He said the only place for the U.S. in the Persian Gulf is "at the bottom of its waters" [5].
This escalation occurs on day 59 of the broader Middle East conflict [4]. The Supreme Leader said Iran will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities [2]. This commitment serves as a direct response to the naval pressure currently exerted by the U.S. military in the region [1, 3].
Reports regarding the delivery of the message vary. Some sources said the statement was read on state television [1, 3], while other reports suggest Khamenei is severely injured and is passing messages through top security officials [5].
Throughout the statement, the Supreme Leader framed the current situation as a new chapter for the Strait of Hormuz [1]. He said the U.S. position in the region is a failure and asserted that Iran remains committed to its strategic defense goals [1, 3].
“"The future of the Persian Gulf will be 'without America'."”
Khamenei's rhetoric signals a shift from diplomatic negotiation to a strategy of total regional exclusion of U.S. forces. By tying the survival of Iran's nuclear and missile programs to the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran is framing its strategic weaponry as the primary deterrent against a naval blockade, increasing the risk of direct military confrontation in one of the world's most critical oil transit corridors.
