Iran’s Supreme Leader Says Region Will No Longer Shield U.S. Bases

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Tuesday, May 26, that regional countries would no longer serve as shields for US military bases, according to a written statement carried by state television. In a message marking Eid al-Adha, Khamenei said “the hands of time will not turn backwards” and argued that nations and lands across the region would no longer protect American bases. He said the United States was losing its ability to maintain a safe foothold for aggression and military deployment in the region and was moving farther from its former position.

The remarks came as Iran and the United States continued exchanges aimed at reaching a deal to end the war that began on February 28 and later spread across the region. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8, but both sides have continued to accuse each other of violating the truce or acting in ways that could undermine it. Iran’s foreign ministry said in recent days that Tehran and Washington had reached understandings on many issues during the negotiations, while warning that an agreement was still not close.

On Tuesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had shot down a US drone and fired at other aircraft that tried to enter Iranian airspace, though the statement did not say when the incidents happened. The Guards also warned against any violation of the ceasefire by what they called the aggressor US military, saying they considered a reciprocal response legitimate and certain. Their statement reflected Tehran’s continued insistence that it would respond to any future strikes or incursions.

The comments followed reports on Monday that US Central Command forces attacked missile sites in southern Iran and boats allegedly attempting to lay mines, despite the ceasefire. Iran has not officially confirmed the US operation, but state media reported blasts in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas without identifying their source. The reports added to uncertainty over whether the ceasefire could hold amid continued military pressure and disputed claims from both sides.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, became supreme leader after his father Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening US-Israel strikes on February 28, which triggered retaliatory attacks by Tehran across the region. Since taking office in March, Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared publicly, making his holiday message one of the most closely watched statements from Iran’s leadership. The latest remarks underscore Tehran’s view that US military influence in the region is weakening, even as tensions remain high and negotiations continue without a final breakthrough.