Iran's New Supreme Leader Calls for Closure of All US Military Bases in Region

Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has called for the closure of all American military bases in the Middle East region and threatened to use the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure tool against the United States and Israel. The statement represents one of the first major policy declarations from Khamenei since assuming the role of Supreme Leader, Iran's highest political and religious authority who holds ultimate power over the country's foreign and domestic policies. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway through which approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies pass, making any Iranian threat to disrupt shipping there a significant concern for international energy markets and regional stability.