'Shut down US bases'

Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has called upon all regional countries to shut down US bases as soon as possible, saying Washington’s claims of ensuring security and peace to these countries have been nothing but lies.

‘’I advise the leaders of regional countries to shut down those (US) bases as soon as possible, for they must surely have realised by now that the US’s claims of ensuring security and peace have been nothing but lies,’’ Mojtaba Khamenei said on X. Mojtaba vowed to keep up attacks on the Gulf Arab countries and use the effective closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz as leverage against the United States and Israel. It was his first public statement since being chosen to succeed his father, who was killed in an Israeli strike.

Mojtaba said the Islamic Republic (Iran) is fully prepared for unity and fostering warm, sincere, reciprocal relations with all its neighbours.

He said shutting down US bases in the region will enable those governments to strengthen ties with their own people, who are generally dissatisfied with the humiliating behaviour associated with those bases. It will also bring an increase in their wealth and power. These regional countries must determine their position on the ‘’aggressors,’’ he added.