« Painful Blows »: Khamenei Predicts US Departure from the Middle East

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that the United States will eventually leave the Middle East after suffering « painful blows » in the Strait of Hormuz, central to the conflict with Washington. He mentioned that enemies now avoid venturing beyond the Arabian Sea, a key maritime route for global hydrocarbons. Iran and the US are in dispute over control of this strategic strait, which Iran has blocked since the conflict began in February, leading to a spike in oil prices. Khamenei has not been seen in public since his appointment in March as head of the Islamic Republic.