Iran’s latest supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has asserted that Iran’s adversaries have been defeated, praising the resilience of the Iranian people in their ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.
The statement, released on Friday, March 20, 2026, was delivered via Iranian state television. No audio or video of Mojtaba Khamenei accompanied the address, which was disseminated to the Iranian public in written form.
“The Iranian people have dealt a resounding blow to [their enemies], so much so that they have begun uttering contradictory and nonsensical statements,” Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written message for Nowruz, the Persian New Year, according to AFP.
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Khamenei emphasized that unity among the Iranian people is the key to resisting pressure from the U.S. And Israel, claiming that this unity has already led to the defeat of Iran’s enemies.
“Currently, due to the special unity that has been created among you, our fellow citizens – regardless of all differences in religious, intellectual, cultural, and political origins – the enemy has been defeated,” Khamenei stated in the message.
Al Jazeera reported that Khamenei also dismissed the notion that the U.S. And Israel could gain control of Iran following recent joint attacks. He asserted that the deaths of several high-ranking Iranian officials would not enable either country to take control of the Iranian government.
“The illusion that if the peak of the regime and certain influential military figures attain martyrdom, it will instill fear and despair in our beloved people… and through this way, the dream of dominating Iran and then dismantling it will be realized,” he said.
Khamenei further suggested that cracks are now appearing within the ranks of the U.S. And Israel. “Fractures have emerged on the enemy side,” he added.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly since being appointed to succeed his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike. So far, he has only issued statements in writing. This lack of public appearances comes as Iran faces increasing international scrutiny and ongoing conflict in the region.
(ygs/ygs)
