Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Tuesday that the United States is steadily losing its foothold in the Middle East and will no longer find safe havens for its military bases or operations in the region, while also predicting that Israel is approaching the final stages of its existence.

Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public or in any images since he was appointed supreme leader on March 8 following his father’s assassination on the first day of the war, issued the statement on social media to mark the start of the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, where nearly two million pilgrims are expected.

He argued that the war with Iran, which began on February 28, has permanently shifted the balance of power, and that nations and territories in the region will no longer act as shields for U.S. military assets.

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The Iranian leader’s remarks come as the United States and Iran have intensified diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. Both sides are currently negotiating an agreement that would halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with discussions on Iran’s nuclear program deferred to a later stage.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that some differences in the initial draft remain, adding that resolving them would likely take a few days.

Despite the ongoing negotiations, Mojtaba Khamenei struck a defiant tone, insisting that the clock will not turn back on Washington’s regional decline. His prediction regarding Israel echoes a long‑standing theme of Iranian leadership rhetoric.

The war, which began with U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran in late February, has caused widespread disruption, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a sharp rise in global energy prices.

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