Mojtaba Khamenei: Iran to Guard Advanced Technologies Like Borders

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, declared on April 30, 2026, that the Islamic Republic will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities as vital national assets. In a written statement read on state television, Khamenei stated that the country would guard its advanced technologies in the same manner it protects its own borders.

The statement adopted a defiant tone regarding the presence of the United States in the Middle East. Khamenei asserted that Americans have no place in the Persian Gulf, stating that they belong at the bottom of its waters. He declared that the region is entering a new chapter in its history.

By God’s help and power, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without America, one serving the progress, comfort and prosperity of its people

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei

Khamenei further stated that foreigners who come from thousands of kilometers away to act with greed and malice there have no place in it — except at the bottom of its waters. He added that Iran intends to secure the Persian Gulf region and dismantle the hostile enemy’s exploitation of this waterway, referring to the Strait of Hormuz.

Maritime Standoff and Economic Pressure

The remarks follow a period of escalating tension as the United States and Iran remain locked in a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas flows. A US Navy blockade has stalled tankers from leaving Iranian ports in an effort to restrict oil exports and cut off a primary revenue stream for Tehran.

The blockade is intended to potentially force Iran to curb production as its storage capacity runs out. On April 30, 2026, Brent crude for June delivery surged to as high as $126 a barrel. While a fragile ceasefire is currently in place, Iran has continued to tighten its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump has defended the naval strategy, telling Axios that the blockade of Iranian ports is somewhat more effective than the bombing and is choking the country by restricting its oil exports.

US Demands and Diplomatic Impasse

The US government is pushing for a broader deal to stabilize the ceasefire, but the two nations show little sign of breaking their current impasse. As a condition for easing pressure, the US wants Iran to agree to several key terms:

• The reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
• The implementation of severe restrictions on nuclear enrichment.
• The handover of stockpiles of highly-processed uranium.

According to reporting from Axios, US military commanders were set to brief President Trump on available options on April 30, 2026.

Leadership Transition in Tehran

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the role of supreme leader after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed on February 28, the first day of the US-Israel war against Iran. Since his appointment, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen or heard in public, instead issuing written statements to be read on state television.

Reports indicate that Mojtaba Khamenei was badly injured in the same airstrike that killed his father on February 28.