Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, delivered his first public statement, made his first public statement on state television, calling for national unity and announcing a firm stance in response to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict.

Khamenei emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed as a strategic tool to pressure Iran’s enemies. He said that while Iran seeks friendly relations with neighboring countries, it expects them to close U.S. bases in their territories, which Tehran considers legitimate targets. He made clear that Iran’s military focus would remain on foreign bases rather than regional civilian populations.

In his address, Khamenei pledged to avenge the blood of their martyrs, Iranians who have been killed,  highlighting the Minab school airstrike in which dozens of girls aged seven to 12 were reportedly killed. He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks.

The message also referenced the family members Khamenei lost in the U.S.-Israeli strikes. “Apart from my father… I have lost my dear and loyal wife, my devoted sister… as well as her young child and the husband of my other sister,” he said, marking a deeply personal element in his first message since being selected on Sunday.

The statement was read aloud by a news anchor on Iranian state television; Khamenei himself did not appear on camera, and no explanation was provided for the delivery method. According to Tehran’s ambassador to Cyprus, Khamenei was injured in the February 28 attack that killed six of his family members, including his father, Ali Khamenei, the late supreme leader of Iran. His wife, Zahra, and teenage son, Mohammad Bagher, were also killed in the attack.