TEHRAN—In his first public statement as Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei vowed Friday to blockade the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s vital oil artery—while promising to “avenge the blood” of Iranians slain in the escalating war with the US and Israel.
The message, read by a state TV newsreader without Khamenei’s on-camera appearance, marks a defiant escalation five days after his ascension on March 8. Khamenei, 56, learned of his selection via television, like ordinary citizens, after the Assembly of Experts voted 68-12 to name him successor following his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s assassination in a US-Israeli strike on the supreme leader’s compound.
Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?
A shadowy cleric long rumored as heir apparent, Mojtaba has deep IRGC ties, having commanded Basij forces during the 1980s Iran-Iraq War (dubbed the “Ramadan War” by state media). Unlike his scholarly father, he’s seen as an IRGC hardliner, reportedly orchestrating proxy networks in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. US intelligence labels him a “puppet master” behind Tehran’s regional militias.
The strike that killed Ali Khamenei also claimed Mojtaba’s wife, Bushra, their son, and reportedly his mother—though Fars News later clarified she survived with injuries. Reuters, citing Iranian sources, says Mojtaba sustained light wounds but remains unseen publicly, fueling speculation of IRGC orchestration in his rapid rise amid wartime chaos.
Hormuz Threat: Global Oil in Crosshairs
Khamenei singled out the Strait—handling 21 million barrels daily, or one-fifth of global oil—as Iran’s “lever” against “vulnerable” foes. “We will block it,” he declared, echoing Tehran’s Wednesday warning of $200/barrel oil. Brent crude has already surged past $150, per Bloomberg data, with IEA calling it “history’s largest supply disruption”—potentially 20 million barrels/day offline if fully sealed.
Iran has mined approaches and harassed tankers, but a full blockade would cripple Europe, Asia, and beyond. Saudi Aramco rerouted shipments Thursday; UAE ports report delays.
Khamenei urged Iran’s 15 border states—from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan—to shutter US bases, blending “friendship” overtures with ultimatums: “Clarify your stance against the aggressors… close those bases soon.” Riyadh signaled reviews of Prince Sultan Air Base; Qatar’s Al Udeid hosts 10,000 US troops.
He pledged continued strikes on regional US assets and decried “crimes against children,” citing a US “mistake” at Minab school near a base, killing 42 per Iranian tallies.
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Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Khamenei as an “IRGC puppet who can’t show his face,” adding of him and Hezbollah’s Naim Qassem: “I wouldn’t issue life insurance on terrorist leaders” (Reuters). Fresh Israeli strikes hit Tehran overnight.
US officials, per CNN, eye naval reinforcements; Biden warned of “severe consequences.” As Khamenei’s untested reign dawns, the strait blockade looms as his opening gambit in an existential showdown.
