Iran's New Supreme Leader Defies the World, Vows to Shut Strait of Hormuz

Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader, has issued a defiant statement declaring that the Strait of Hormuz must remain closed to international shipping. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping chokepoint, has long been a source of tension between Iran and the West.

In his first major address since assuming the role of Supreme Leader following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei doubled down on Iran's longstanding threat to close the Strait if faced with increased sanctions or military action.