Mojtaba Khamenei tells Gulf states waiting for 'appropriate response' to show brotherhood and goodwill

Mohamed Hatem , Thursday 9 Apr 2026

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Thursday called on Gulf neighbours to respond in a way that would allow Tehran to extend “brotherhood and goodwill,” following weeks of conflict triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

File Photo: Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, AFP

The conflict began on 28 February when the United States and Israel launched coordinated air and missile strikes on Iran, killing senior officials, including the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and thousands of civilians.

In retaliation, Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel, as well as on US military bases and assets in Gulf countries hosting US troops, and effectively restricted transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

Khamenei told Iran's "southern neighbours" that they were witnessing a miracle and urged them to “look carefully, understand well, be in the right place, and beware of the false promises of the devils.”

He added that Tehran was “still waiting for an appropriate response from you to demonstrate our brotherhood and goodwill,” which he said would only happen if Gulf states abandoned “the arrogant ones who will not miss any opportunity to humiliate and exploit you.”

He vowed that Iran would not forgive aggressors and would seek compensation for the casualties of the war, while asserting Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz.

“Everyone should know that, with God's permission, we will not leave the aggressors and criminals who attacked our country alone. We will inevitably demand compensation for all the harm done to you and the blood of the martyrs and veterans of this war. We will strive to develop the management of the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei said.

Paying tribute to his late father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei stressed the importance of vigilance, saying it “should not be assumed that announcing an intention to negotiate with the enemy means there is no need for a presence in the streets."

He added, "On the contrary, even if, hypothetically, a period of silence on the military battlefield becomes necessary, the duty of all people who can be present in squares, neighbourhoods, and mosques appears heavier than before. Your chants in the streets are effective in shaping the outcome of negotiations.”