Kathmandu. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that he will continue to block the Strait of Hormuz, a major waterway for fuel supplies to the world market.
He said this in a message broadcast on Iranian state television. The message was not delivered directly by him but read out through a newsreader. Iran’s previous Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an airstrike by the US and Israel in late February. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was then appointed Supreme Leader.

He has not been seen in public since becoming Supreme Leader. No photos or videos of him have been released. But his message was read out by a presenter on Iranian state television.

Warning of ‘blood revenge’
In the message, he said that he would ‘avenge the blood’ of Iranians killed in the war with the US and Israel. He also warned neighboring countries not to allow US military bases to operate on their soil.In his first public message, Khamenei said that blocking the Strait of Hormuz is a “strategic pressure tool” for Iran. According to him, this area is a place where “the enemy is very weak.”

Urges neighboring countries to close US military bases
He also said that attacks will continue targeting US military bases in the Middle East. However, he said that Iran has adopted a policy of maintaining “friendly relations” with its neighbors and urged those countries to close US military bases.

“We have land or sea borders with 15 neighboring countries and we have always wanted positive relations with them,” he said in the message, “but they must make their clear position on the side that attacks our country and kills our citizens public. I advise them to close the US bases as soon as possible.”

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Iran has warned that it will target ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil. The disruption of oil tanker traffic has sent oil prices soaring.
Tehran warned on Wednesday that oil prices could reach $200 a barrel in the global market. It also warned that any oil tanker heading to the US, Israel and their allies could be attacked.

Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency has said that the global oil market is currently facing the “largest supply disruption in history”. The agency has decided to release 400 million barrels of oil to the global market to solve the current problem.