Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei says US will soon be driven out of Middle East

TEHRAN, September 29 — Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared on Monday that the United States would be compelled to withdraw from the Middle East following a series of "painful blows" inflicted upon the enemy, according to a statement released by state television. Despite ongoing efforts to negotiate a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict, Khamenei's remarks reflect a growing sentiment within the Iranian government.

"Having suffered painful blows at the hands of valiant fighters and the guardians of the Strait of Hormuz, they (the enemies) do not venture beyond the Arabian Sea," Khamenei stated in the written declaration, without explicitly naming the United States. "Whenever they have dared this risk, they have only harmed themselves. It will not be long before the Arabian Sea, too, would rid itself of their presence," Khamenei added.

The strategic Arabian Sea, stretching from the Arabian Peninsula toward India in the east, serves as a vital maritime route leading to Iran's coasts and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. The United States and Iran have been locked in a power struggle over Hormuz since the onset of the Middle East war, which began with US- Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Prior to the war, the shipping route accounted for approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and gas. In response to Iran's blockade of Hormuz, the United States imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports, creating a tense geopolitical situation in the region.