Tehran, April 9, (dpa/GNA) – Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared his country the victor in the war with the United States and Israel, in a statement attributed to him on Thursday.
As on previous occasions, the message was read out on state television. No video footage, audio recording or images of Khamenei, accompanied the statement.
According to the message, Iran has achieved “final victory.”
“Over the past 40 days, the great nation of Iran has astonished the world,” it said.
The statement added that Iran does not seek war, but is fighting for its legitimate rights.
It also thanked Iran’s regional allies, including the Lebanese Hezbollah militia and the Houthis in Yemen.
The 56-year-old Khamenei has not appeared in public, since being appointed supreme leader on March 8, fuelling speculation about his health, whereabouts and actual role.
Iranian state television has described him as a war veteran, but provided no further details.
Mojtaba Khamenei’s father, long-time Iranian supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in an airstrike on
Earlier on Thursday, Iranian leaders threatened a decisive response, following devastating Israeli attacks in Lebanon, which the Health Ministry in Beirut said killed 303 people and injured 1,150 others.
Israel, however, has said its conflict with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia is not covered by the ceasefire involving Iran, which was announced on Tuesday by US President Donald Trump and brokered by Pakistan.
The latest Israeli attacks in Lebanon have prompted fears, that the teetering ceasefire which included the reopening of the key Strait of Hormuz, could quickly collapse.
Peace talks between Iranian and US representatives are expected in Islamabad over the weekend.
GNA