Gulf nations won't be safe haven for US bases, warns Iran's Supreme Leader

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued warnings against the United States and Israel on Tuesday. He declared that countries across West Asia would no longer serve as shields for US bases and insisted that Israel "must certainly be uprooted and it will be".

Tensions flared again following fresh US military strikes in southern Iran, which Tehran called violations of the ceasefire.

In a strongly worded message on his Telegram channel, Khamenei portrayed the balance of power in the region as shifting away from the US and towards what Iran calls the "Resistance Front" -- a network of allied armed groups and political movements stretching across the Middle East.

"The hands of time will not turn back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for US bases," Khamenei wrote.

He added that the US "will no longer have a safe haven for its mischief and for establishing military bases in the region" and claimed Washington was "growing more distant from its former status day by day".

KHAMENEI PRAISES RESISTANCE FRONT

In his written statement, the Iranian Supreme Leader praised Iran-backed resistance movements operating across the region, describing them as a united front standing against both American influence and Israeli military power.

According to the statement, the movement now stretches "from Iran to Lebanon and Palestine and Iraq and Syria, from Africa and Yemen to Afghanistan and Pakistan". He claimed these groups had challenged Israeli occupation, and weakened American influence.

Khamenei once again referred Israel as a "cancerous tumor" and an "unstable regime", claiming it was approaching "the final stages of its cursed life". It wasn't an isolated comment from Iran's Supreme Leader. Late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had, on multiple occasions, said that Israel would not survive another 25 years.

IRAN CLAIMS VICTORY OVER US AND ISRAEL

The Iranian leader also praised its success during the latest conflict with the US and Isreal.

"The Islamic Republic succeeded in rendering the Zionist regime helpless under its heavy blows, delivering a hard slap to the aggressive America, and thwarting the enemy's goal of forcing Iran into surrender," the statement read.

TENSIONS RISE AFTER FRESH US STRIKES

His statement came hours after US forces carried out strikes in Hormozgan province targeting boats allegedly attempting to lay naval mines and missile launch sites.

Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire through new military operations in southern Iran. Iranian media later reported explosions near Bandar Abbas early Tuesday.

In a statement carried by Iran's IRIB broadcaster, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused Washington of carrying out "aggressive and unjustified actions" over the past 48 hours.

"The United States committed a gross violation of the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region," the ministry said.

Iran also accused the US of showing "malice and hypocrisy" towards Tehran and warned it "will not hesitate to defend itself".

IRAN PUSHES FOR BILLIONS IN FROZEN ASSETS

The new US strikes risk pushing already fragile peace efforts into fresh uncertainty, despite signs of progress in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Multiple reports in recent days say that understandings had been reached on several key issues.

According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, Tehran is demanding the release of $12 billion in frozen assets as part of a potential agreement with the US. Iran is also reportedly insisting that another $12 billion be transferred within 60 days of the deal being signed.

As negotiations intensified, senior Iranian officials -- including top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati -- arrived in Qatar on Monday for high-level talks.

- Ends

With inputs from agencies