Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Ali Khamenei has said the country will defend its nuclear and missile capabilities as national assets, despite renewed pressure from the United States.
In a statement broadcast on state television, Khamenei said Iran’s scientific and military progress including nuclear and missile programmes remains central to its sovereignty.
“Ninety million Iranians, inside and outside the country, consider all of Iran’s capabilities from science and industry to nuclear and missile power as national assets, and we will defend them as we defend our water, land and air,” he said.
His remarks come as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to push for a new agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear activities.
Khamenei also took aim at the U.S. military presence in the region, saying American forces are a source of instability in the Middle East.
“The only place the Americans should be in the Persian Gulf is at the bottom of its waters,” he said, in a sharp escalation of rhetoric.
He added that Iran maintains control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz and suggested that new management of the route would bring stability and economic benefits.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, and tensions around it have often raised concerns about global energy security.
Khamenei said U.S. military bases in the Gulf region contribute to insecurity, reiterating Iran’s long-standing position against foreign military presence in the area.
