Trump Says Mojtaba Khamenei 90% Gone As US-Iran Conflict Intensifies | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump has said Iran’s military has been effectively dismantled and that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is “90% gone”, even as Washington and Tehran continue to trade attacks for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump told Fox News on Monday that recent military operations in Iran have destroyed Tehran’s military capabilities and much of its leadership.
“They have no navy. They have no air force. Everything is gone. Their anti-aircraft plane is gone. All their leaders have been killed. Their best leaders have been killed,” Trump said.
“Khamenei is gone. The son is 90% gone,” Trump said, referring to Mojtaba Khamenei – Iran’s new supreme leader.
Mojtaba did not attend his father’s funeral
Mojtaba has not appeared in public since the US-Israeli strikes that killed his father in late February. His absence from his father’s funeral further fueled speculation about his health and whereabouts. According to Iranian state media, Mojtaba was unable to attend the funeral due to security concerns. He later issued a written statement vowing to avenge his father’s killing.
Trump’s remarks came as the United States and Iran exchanged another round of missile and drone strikes over the weekend, with the US president calling the truce between the countries “over”. The US has launched several rounds of attacks on Iranian military targets over the past week, while Iran has retaliated by targeting military installations, commercial shipping and US allies in the Persian Gulf.
Several Gulf states, including Jordan and Bahrain, reported intercepting missiles fired from Iranian territory.
Battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz
The new conflict has also intensified the battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime hubs, through which almost a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.
In addition, Trump announced that the United States would reimpose what he called the “Iran blockade” and begin charging commercial vessels for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared that the US would become the “GUARDIAN OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ”, saying that countries using the waterway should compensate Washington for providing maritime security.
“The Strait of Hormuz is OPEN and will stay OPEN, with or without Iran,” Trump wrote. He added that the United States would seek compensation through a 20 percent fee on cargo passing through the strait to cover the cost of protecting the route.
Iran rejected the proposal, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned that it was Iran that had historically protected the strategic waterway, not the United States.
