Khamenei’s first public statement after his appointment as supreme leader on March 9, 2026:

“The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely continue to be used” in the ongoing war with the United States and Israel.Haley Ott, “New Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei says Strait of Hormuz must remain shut in first message: State TV,” CBS News, March 12, 2026, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-war-new-supreme-leader-mojtaba-khamenei-first-statement-strait-of-hormuz/.