New Supreme Leader warns attacks will continue and signals pressure on global oil supplies
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first public statement on Thursday since taking power, warning that Iran will continue its attacks in the ongoing war and may use the strategic Strait of Hormuz as leverage against its enemies.
In the message broadcast on Iranian state television, Khamenei said Iran could use the threat of closing the narrow waterway to put pressure on Western countries and Gulf states. The strait, located between Iran and Oman, is one of the most important shipping routes in the world for oil.
About one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical route for global energy trade. Any disruption there can quickly affect oil prices and global markets.
Following the statement and continued fighting in the region, oil prices have already started rising as traders fear supply disruptions.
