Iranian supreme leader says regional countries will no longer serve as shields for US bases

Countries in the Middle East will no longer be able to host U.S. military bases, according to a statement posted Tuesday on the official Farsi-language X/Twitter account of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

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The nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases.

Khamenei's apparent declaration coincided with the annual Hajj pilgrimage. "The nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases," he wrote. "America will no longer have a safe haven for mischief and the establishment of military bases in the region," he continued, directly challenging the U.S. Central Command's presence across the Middle East.

In addition to targeting U.S. military presence, Khamenei also directed threats at Israel, labeling it the "shaky Zionist regime and cancerous tumor" that has "drawn near to the final stages of their cursed demise." He referenced a prediction by his predecessor, Ali Khamenei, that Israel would cease to exist within 15 years.

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America will no longer have a safe haven for mischief and the establishment of military bases in the region.

The Iranian leader further praised Hezbollah, Iran's proxy force in Lebanon, for its "resistance" against Israel and the U.S. He claimed Iran had achieved "remarkable victories" and delivered a "harsh slap to the aggressor America." Khamenei concluded by inviting Islamic countries to "friendship and cooperation" while reiterating the importance of "disavowing America and the Zionist regime," predicting "'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel'" as common slogans.

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shaky Zionist regime and cancerous tumor.

Khamenei invited "all Islamic countries and governments to friendship and cooperation for the good and benevolence" to resolve the "issues" facing the Islamic world. He stated that "disavowing the polytheists holds double importance" this year, particularly the "depth and breadth of disavowing America and the Zionist regime." Disavowing anti-Islamic ideas, such as "polytheism," is part of the Hajj's ceremonial rituals. This will lead to "'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' being the common slogan of the Islamic Ummah (people)," as well as among the "oppressed of the world, especially the youth."

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drawn near to the final stages of their cursed demise.