Iran’s Khamenei calls for Gulf unity as Hormuz tensions persist

Khamenei urges Gulf rulers to confront their ‘real enemy’ as Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz restricted amid stalled diplomacy.Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Gulf leaders to identify their “real enemy” and confront it, as Tehran maintains its hard line over the Strait of Hormuz, while regional mediators push for renewed diplomacy.“My emphatic and repeated recommendation to the rulers of Islamic countries, especially the countries of West Asia and the Gulf, is to identify your real enemy, understand his plan and confront it,” Khamenei said in a message published on Sunday to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Six months into the Iran-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="38748" data-entity-type="event">Iran war, a new Gulf security architecture is emerginglist 2 of 4Iran’s leaders acknowledge economic toll of war, pledge diplomacy, defencelist 3 of 4What’s behind the US deal to seize control of Venezuelan oil reserves?list 4 of 4Mapping Iran-war" class="entity-link entity-event" data-entity-id="38748" data-entity-type="event">Iran war’s strikes on Gulf energy and its impact on future of oilend of listKhamenei has not appeared publicly since the US-Israeli attacks on February 28 that killed his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, October 13, 2024 [Hamed Jafarnejad/ISNA/WANA via Reuters]The message comes as the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway through which about 20 percent of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed before the war, remains unresolved.Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Saturday that Iran had reached an understanding with Oman on a temporary maritime route, but that its implementation would depend on the United States fulfilling its commitments under the memorandum of understanding the countries signed in mid-June, which has since lapsed.“The Strait of Hormuz is closed,” Gharibabadi said, adding that any vessel seeking to cross would have to coordinate with Iran.“Implementing this understanding requires the other side, particularly the US, to fulfil its commitments. Whenever these commitments are implemented, Iran will also take its measures,” he said.