Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei announced on Tuesday that the United States would no longer enjoy secure military bases in the Middle East, warning that regional nations would cease to act as shields for American military installations. This statement comes amid persistent tensions between Tehran and Washington, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
In a message released on the occasion of the annual Hajj pilgrimage and shared on his Telegram channel, Khamenei highlighted the gradual decline of US influence in the region, emphasizing the emergence of a new power balance across the Muslim world. He asserted that regional powers would no longer provide protection for US military bases, declaring that the United States would lose all safe havens in the area.
These remarks were made as Iran and the United States continue indirect negotiations aimed at establishing a framework to end their three-month-long conflict, which has significantly heightened instability in the Middle East and raised concerns about a wider regional war.
Khamenei described the slogan “Allahu Akbar” as a unifying force linking what Iran calls the “Axis of Resistance” throughout the region. He stated that this rallying cry has strengthened ties among the Muslim Ummah and the young fighters of the resistance front, with this alliance extending from Iran to Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, and Syria, as well as from Africa and Yemen to Pakistan and other free nations worldwide.
The Iranian leader also emphasized that Washington would be barred from establishing new military bases in the region, portraying the United States as steadily losing its former dominance in Middle Eastern affairs. “America is continuously moving away from its previous position in the region, and this transformation is becoming clearer day by day,” he said.
Khamenei framed these geopolitical changes as part of the rise of a “new Islamic civilisation,” asserting that the future belongs to the Muslim world. He encouraged individuals to contribute their desire, ability, and responsibility to help realize this future.
His statements echoed Tehran’s long-standing opposition to the US military presence in the Gulf and broader Middle East, where American forces are stationed in several allied countries.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared on Tuesday that it reserved the “legitimate and definite” right to retaliate against any US violations of a ceasefire. The Guards reported that their air defense units had shot down a US MQ-9 drone and fired upon a fighter jet that allegedly breached Iranian airspace. There was no immediate response from the United States regarding these claims.
This latest exchange highlights the fragile nature of efforts to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington, even as diplomatic channels remain open through regional and international mediators. Iranian officials have consistently insisted that any future agreement with the US must include guarantees against military escalation and respect for Iran’s sovereignty. Conversely, US officials accuse Tehran of destabilizing activities across the region through its allied armed groups.
The annual Hajj pilgrimage, which attracts millions of Muslims to Saudi Arabia each year, has often served as a platform for Iranian leaders to convey political and ideological messages to the wider Muslim community.
