Eid al-Adha Message from Mojtaba Khamenei: Middle East No Longer a Shield for US
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a stern warning to the United States (US) amid the fragile ceasefire in the ongoing Iran-US conflict.
In an official message broadcast by Iranian state television on Tuesday (26 May 2026), Mojtaba stated that countries in the Middle East would no longer serve as a “shield” for US military bases.
This marks one of Mojtaba’s harshest statements since he succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint US-Israel attack on 28 February. The attack triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes across the region, escalating the Middle East into a large-scale conflict.
“What is certain is that the hands of time will not turn back, and the nations and regions in the area will no longer function as a shield for American bases,” Mojtaba wrote in his Eid al-Adha message, according to AFP on Tuesday (26 May 2026).
He also noted that the US position in the Middle East is weakening day by day.
“The United States no longer has safe ground in the region for aggression and establishing military bases, and is increasingly distant from its former position each day,” the statement continued.
The tough message from Tehran comes as Iran and the US remain in intensive talks to reach a deal to end the war that erupted in February and spread to strategic points across the Middle East.
Although the ceasefire has been in effect since 8 April, the situation on the ground remains fragile. The Iranian government previously stated that Tehran and Washington have reached several understandings regarding efforts to end the war, but warned that a final agreement will not be reached soon.
Amid the negotiations, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced military action against the US. On Tuesday, the elite Iranian forces claimed to have shot down a US drone and fired at other aircraft attempting to enter Iranian airspace.
In its statement, the Revolutionary Guards also warned Washington not to violate the ongoing ceasefire.
“Iran warns against any ceasefire violation by the US aggressor military and considers the right to respond as legitimate and certain,” the Revolutionary Guards stated.
Tensions have escalated further after the US Central Command stated on Monday that its forces had struck missile sites in southern Iran and vessels suspected of laying sea mines, despite the ceasefire still being in place.
Iran has not officially confirmed the US attack, but Iranian state media reported explosions in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas without specifying the source.