In a stark warning delivered on Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has been seriously injured, declared that the Iranian navy is poised to deliver severe setbacks to its adversaries, even amidst a fragile ceasefire with Israel.
This assertive statement was made in honor of Iranian Armed Forces Day by the recently appointed Ayatollah. Khamenei has remained out of public sight since assuming leadership following the U.S.-Israeli airstrike on February 28, which resulted in the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, and left him severely injured, costing him a leg.
Despite ongoing negotiations with Israel for a peaceful resolution, the reclusive Ayatollah has made it clear that Iran is prepared to demonstrate the might of its significantly weakened military forces.
In a message shared via his Telegram account, Khamenei stated, “Just as Iran’s drones strike swiftly against American and Zionist aggressors, our valiant navy stands ready to deliver crushing defeats to our foes.”
He further emphasized the deep-rooted connection between the military and the Iranian populace, stating, “The Army is akin to the nation’s offspring, emerging from the very heart of its people’s homes.”
Another message reinforced this sentiment, proclaiming, “The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran is now bravely defending its rightful land, waters, and flag.”
“Iran’s Army is standing side by side with their comrades from other armed forces, battling the two leading armies of disbelief and Arrogance,” he wrote in another post referencing the US and Israel.
“And the Islamic Army has exposed those armies’ weakness and humiliation to the world,” Khamenei laughably claimed.
But Khamenei’s crowing rang hollow with President Trump, who has insisted that Iran’s military has been completed defeated.
“Their military is destroyed, their whole navy is underwater. One hundred fifty ships are gone, their navy is gone,” Trump told reporters outside Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 13.
“I think Iran is in very bad shape. I think they’re pretty desperate … We had a meeting that lasted 21 hours. We understand the situation better than anybody, and Iran’s in very bad shape.”
Khamenei’s saber rattling comes in the middle of a tenuous 10-day truce between Iran and Israel which is set to expire on April 22.
Iran’s military has been able to maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz, with the nation reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iran-linked ships.
The new restrictions come one day after Trump announced the US blockade on Tehran “will remain in full force.”
