Iran’s new supreme leader has issued a stark warning that the country will “avenge the blood of its martyrs”, signalling that the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States is likely to intensify rather than ease.
In his first message since taking power, Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran would continue fighting and retaliating for the deaths caused by the escalating conflict, including those killed in strikes during the opening stages of the war.
“I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs,” said the hardline cleric, who is close to Iran’s top military force.
“The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret it. The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used,” Khamenei added, referring to the shipping route through which a fifth of global oil normally passes along Iran’s coast.
The statement, broadcast on Iranian state media, praised allied militant groups and vowed that Tehran would continue attacks against its enemies while demanding compensation for damage inflicted during the conflict.
The rhetoric comes as the war – triggered by joint US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s long-time leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February – continues to spread across the region.
US President Donald Trump has taken an uncompromising tone toward Iran, declaring that there can be no settlement without Tehran’s “unconditional surrender.”
President Trump has said that the war on Iran was “moving along very rapidly” while speaking at an event to mark Women’s History Month at the White House.
“It’s doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed,” Trump said.
“There’s never been anything like it, nobody’s ever seen anything like it. And we’re doing what has to be done, should have been done during a 47-year period. Could have been done by a lot of different people. They chose not to do it, but they really are a nation of terror and hate. And they’re paying a big price right now,” the president added.
Trump has also suggested the United States should have a say in Iran’s future leadership, remarks that have fuelled speculation that Washington’s objectives extend beyond curbing Iran’s nuclear program to reshaping the country’s government.
Iranian officials have responded with fury, with some state-aligned voices calling for retaliation against Trump himself while missile attacks against Israeli targets and US facilities in the region have continued.
The regional conflict is also escalating on Israel’s northern border.
Israel’s defence minister has ordered expanded military operations in Lebanon after Hezbollah militants launched heavy rocket barrages into northern Israel.
Israeli air strikes have hit Beirut and southern Lebanon, while evacuation warnings have forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee areas near the border.
The violence has already taken a heavy toll, with hundreds killed and more than 800,000 displaced in Lebanon during the latest phase of fighting.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that if the Lebanese government cannot disarm Hezbollah, Israel may do so itself.
Since late February the conflict has broadened well beyond Israel and Iran.
Tehran has launched missile and drone attacks across the Middle East in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on its leadership and military facilities.
At the same time, Israel says it has destroyed large parts of Iran’s missile infrastructure but insists the threat remains.
Iran’s new leadership has also threatened to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, a move that could severely disrupt global oil supplies and draw additional powers into the conflict.
With Iran vowing revenge for its “martyrs”, Trump demanding surrender, and Israel widening its operations against Hezbollah, diplomats warn the war risks expanding further.
For now, the Middle East appears locked in its most dangerous confrontation in years — with both sides signalling they are preparing for a long fight rather than a quick peace.