Middle East will no longer shield US forces, Khamenei warns

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a strong warning to countries in the Middle East, saying they will no longer act as protective buffers for US military installations in the region.

The statement, delivered in a written message circulated through Iranian state media on Tuesday, came amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington following recent military exchanges and stalled diplomatic efforts.

Khamenei said regional states should not be seen as providing security cover for American forces, adding that the United States would increasingly lose its ability to maintain a stable military footprint across the Middle East. He also suggested that the regional balance of power was shifting away from US influence.

“What is certain in this regard is that the hands of time will not turn backwards, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases,” said Khamenei.

He also said the United States “in addition to no longer having any safe haven in the region for aggression and the establishment of military bases, is moving further and further away from its former position with each passing day”.