Iran’s Supreme Leader declares victory, calls Iran global power

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a lengthy statement marking the anniversary of the Iran-Iraq War, addressing the recent conflict and claiming that the United States has suffered a defeat while portraying Iran as an emerging global power.

In the statement, Khamenei referred to the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry and the 1953 coup, accusing the United States and Western powers of seeking to dominate Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and of later attempting to restore that influence.

He described the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War as the “first imposed war” and portrayed the recent hostilities as a continuation of what he described as the same broader confrontation.

Khamenei claimed that the Islamic Republic emerged victorious from the latest conflict, saying that “aggressive hegemony-seekers” had sought shelter from Iranian strikes and resorted to “begging” for an end to the hostilities.

His reference to a US defeat did not mention the death of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening hours of the recent military strikes.

Elsewhere in the statement, Khamenei cited unnamed observers who allegedly describe Iran as the “fourth global superpower.” Drawing on religious arguments, he went further, presenting Iran as the world’s preeminent power.

Addressing the Strait of Hormuz, Khamenei claimed that US and allied forces had been pushed back beyond the Arabian Sea as a result of Iranian military pressure.

“The Arabian Sea will soon clear itself of their presence as well,” he said.

Khamenei also claimed widespread domestic support for the Islamic Republic. He said that over the past seven months, people had maintained a continuous presence in the streets and alleged that more than 30 million Iranians had declared themselves ready to sacrifice their lives for the regime.

He further claimed that, following a mobilisation call, more than 500,000 volunteers filled available registration slots within 100 minutes. The statement did not provide verifiable documentation supporting the figure.

By Vafa Guliyeva