Mojtaba Khamenei issued a new statement on Friday afternoon to mark the Persian New Year. The new Supreme Leader of Iran spoke to his country as it is marking Nowruz amid the ongoing conflict.
In his message, he described the new year as one of « economic resilience » – after Iran was marred by widespread protests against the cost of living between December and January, which were violently quashed by the IRGC. Khamenei succeeded his father Ali Khamenei after the late Supreme Leader was killed in an airstrike on the first day of the US-Israeli Operation Epic Fury.
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Despite being appointed Supreme Leader, he has yet to make a public appearance and hasn’t been photographed since the US and Israeli strikes began on February 28.
In a written statement read on Iranian television Khamenei said the US and Israeli strikes were based on the mistaken belief that assassinating Iran’s top leaders would trigger the government’s collapse.
He applauded Iranians for “building a nationwide defensive front” and “delivering such a bewildering blow that the enemy fell into contradictions and irrational statements.”
This comes juast after Iran threatened to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide and insisted it was still building missiles.
Top military spokesman, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi said, according to Iranian state television: « From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you. »
The threat renews fears that Iran may revert to using militant attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic.
Earlier today Iranian state media reported the death of four high-ranking officials, including IRGC Brigadier General Esmail Ahmadi, in US-Israeli airstrikes in Dashtestan.
Tasnim reports: « The esteemed martyrs—Brigadier General Pasdaran Ismail Ahmad, First Lieutenant Ali Firoozan Kamali, Second Warrant Officer Danial Ahsani-Fard, and Seyed Hamed Bahr al-Olum—in this magnificent ceremony, with the people of Dashtestan’s farewell, departed for their eternal resting place. »
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