Reports have suggested the new leader was wounded in the opening days of the war, though Iranian authorities have not confirmed the extent of any injuries.

Some ships are allowed through Hormuz

The uncertainty has prompted analysts to question whether key decisions are being made elsewhere within Iran’s power structure.

Shortly after the statement was released, the Guards signalled their intention to continue enforcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri said the force would maintain the strategy of blocking the vital waterway.

At the same time, Iran also appeared to show limited flexibility. Deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said some countries had been allowed to move ships through the strait during the conflict.

Iran’s political leadership has also outlined conditions for ending the war. President Masoud Pezeshkian said any settlement must recognise Iran’s “legitimate rights”, include compensation for damage caused by the conflict and guarantee the country will not face future attacks.

Warnings

Meanwhile, senior Iranian officials continued issuing warnings to Washington and regional states.

The war of words between Tehran and Washington has also intensified. Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani warned that regional infrastructure could be targeted if the United States escalated the conflict.

“If they do that, the whole region will go dark in less than half an hour,” Larijani said in a post on X, threatening strikes on regional power grids and US forces.

US President Donald Trump responded by saying Washington could cripple Iran’s electricity infrastructure within an hour if it chose to escalate.

“We could take apart their electric capacity within one hour. And it would take them 25 years to rebuild it,” Trump said, while claiming Iran’s military capabilities had been “absolutely decimated.”

For now, however, the central question remains unresolved.

Iran’s new supreme leader has delivered a message — but he has still not appeared before the public, leaving uncertainty over who is truly calling the shots in Tehran.

Joe Biden visits Israel, West Bank and Saudi Arabia

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