Iran is the world's leading power by divine reckoning, says Mojtaba Khamenei

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has declared that Iran is the leading power in the world according to divine calculations, noting that some parties rank the country as the world's fourth greatest power.

His remarks came in a statement marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war.

Khamenei said that strikes carried out by Iranian fighters and defenders of the Strait of Hormuz have prevented adversaries from advancing beyond the Arabian Sea, vowing that the sea would soon be free of their presence. He added that Iran's southern waters, once a theater for hostile forces, have seen those forces retreat after suffering painful blows.

Iran's shifting regional and global position

Khamenei noted that Iran's adversaries are now seeking protection from Iranian attacks and are calling for an end to hostilities, emphasizing that the country's status has advanced compared to previous decades.

He added that the era Iran's rivals wish to restore was marked by backwardness, humiliation, and dependence, contrasting it with what he described as the progress, dignity, and independence Iran enjoys today. He stressed that such a period would never return.