Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei confirmed on Thursday, April 30, 2026, that the Gulf region is witnessing a new chapter in its history, and that its future will be devoid of the American presence.
This came in a statement published by the Iranian news agency IRNA on the occasion of what Iran calls the "National Day of the Persian Gulf," adding that America's defeat was "resounding and shameful" in its plan after two months of the largest military buildup and "aggression by arrogant forces in the region," considering that "a series of victories have been achieved over the past 60 days, and will mark the beginning of a new regional and international order."
Khamenei talks about new rules for managing the Strait of Hormuz
Khamenei explained that the US presence in the Gulf is "the main factor of instability", noting that US bases in the region "do not even have the ability to secure themselves".
The Iranian leader considered that his country and its neighbors in the Gulf region are bound by "one destiny", considering that America and those with it "have no place in the Gulf, but in its depths", stressing that Iran will make the Gulf region "safer and prevent the exploitation of this waterway by the enemies"
He also noted that "the new rules for the management of the Strait of Hormuz will bring prosperity and progress to all the peoples of the region, and will bring economic gains."
A written statement without any media appearance in the photo
Khamenei's statement came in a context characterized by mounting questions about the reality and reality of the current regime in Iran, in light of the continued absence of the new Supreme Leader from direct media appearances since he took power last March, as his messages have so far been limited to written statements that are read out on state television or published by the IRNA news agency.
Many reports suggest that the absence is not just a protocol or security option, but may be related to his health condition, as media sources indicate that he suffered a physical injury during the airstrike in which his father was killed last February, which may limit his ability to appear in sound and video.
Why this timing?
Khamenei's remarks came in the context of an open military war that Iran has waged against the United States and its European allies that lasted for about 40 days, which has left significant destruction in Iran's infrastructure, but Tehran is now coming out of it clinging to a heavy-caliber pressure card that effectively controls the energy arteries.
Weeks ago, Washington imposed a tight naval blockade on Iran, which managed to intercept 42 oil tankers and deprive Tehran of about $6 billion in revenues, but Khamenei wants a response to America's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, either lifting the blockade or paying the price through chaos in Iran's oil markets.
The new leader's long absence reinforces the hypothesis that the IRGC is actually running the stage, while the new leader is a legitimate façade for the regime at a sensitive moment that requires careful internal balances.
Trump sparks controversy by naming the Arabian Gulf after him
Earlier today, US President Donald Trump published a modified map of the Strait of Hormuz on his platform "Truth Social", in which the waterway appeared under the name "Strait of Trump", in a move that was considered a symbolic message in light of the escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The map that Trump republished included the use of the name "Persian Gulf" instead of "Persian Gulf," which drew attention due to the sensitivity of the name in the region, and this move came after Trump had previously used terms such as "Iran Strait" or "Iranian Strait of Hormuz," before jokingly hinting in previous statements that it could be named after him.
Trump did not attach any comment to the map, but its publication came at a time of escalating geopolitical tensions and the continuation of the US naval blockade imposed on Iranian exports in the Strait of Hormuz, and Trump said days before the map was published, in an interview with Fox Business Channel that he had previously proposed the idea of naming the strait after him, but noted that the idea faced criticism, comparing it to his previous attempt to name the Gulf of Mexico "America's Bay."