Mohsen Rezaei, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, said the strategic waterway outweighs 'dozens of nuclear bombs' in importance and warned that President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu crossed Iran's 'most important red lines,' requiring a proportionate response. Rezaei declared that after 'so much hostility and crimes,' talk of friendship with the United States is meaningless, and called on the Iranian people to defend their rights and dignity with strength, according to a statement attributed to him.
Sunday, 15:22 Jerusalem — In the latest escalation of a day-long flurry of Iranian rhetoric, Mohsen Rezaei, a senior advisor to the Supreme Leader, issued a statement comparing the strategic value of the Strait of Hormuz to 'dozens of nuclear bombs' and declaring that friendship with the United States is now 'meaningless' after alleged 'hostility and crimes.' The statement, reported by Iranian media, came at 15:16 Jerusalem, expanding on a warning Rezaei had issued at 12:42, in which he said President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'crossed Iran's red lines' and warned that assassination of leaders could become routine. The full 15:16 quote added: 'Trump and Netanyahu crossed some of the most important red lines of the Islamic Republic, and they must receive a proportionate response to their actions.' Rezaei also called on Iranians to 'defend their rights and dignity with strength.'
The thread began at 09:06 Jerusalem, with a series of statements from multiple Iranian officials asserting control over the strait. Parliament spokesman Ebrahim Rezaee first said Iran controls the waterway 'with strength' (v1), then escalated to claiming it was seized 'by force' (v2). Senior military advisor Ibrahim Redai, also speaking for the Supreme Leader, echoed the 'by force' claim (v3). A separate official described the strait as a key component of deterrence (v4). By 09:06, Rezaei himself had already issued a statement comparing the strait's importance to 'dozens of nuclear bombs' (v5) and another declaring US friendship meaningless (v6). The 12:42 and 15:16 statements consolidated and amplified these themes, with source coverage expanding from the initial outlet (Abu Ali Express) to multiple Israeli and Iranian media.
The escalation is part of a broader Iranian campaign over the Strait of Hormuz. As The Zioneer reported on June 27, Rezaei previously accused the US of violating a memorandum of understanding in the waterway, warning of a 'swift and decisive' response. On June 13, lawmaker Ahmad Nabavian warned that a draft US-Iran agreement would bring Oman into the strait's management, crossing a red line set by the Supreme Leader. The IRGC's role in the strait has been a recurring theme, with lawmakers resisting any internationalization of control.
The statements do not specify any new military measures. It remains unclear whether Rezaei's rhetoric reflects a coordinated policy shift or individual escalation. The unverified claims of control over the strait have not been independently confirmed.
7 developments
- StrongKhamenei advisor Rezaei accuses US of escalating tensions in Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingKhamenei advisor warns Trump, Netanyahu crossed Iran's red lines
- StrongRezaei: US will sabotage talks, seeks permanent military control in southern Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingKhamenei advisor: Iran will extend war to Indian Ocean if blockade continues
Source and signal
- Internal intake