Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that the United States will be forced to leave the Middle East after suffering a “painful blow”.

Iran’s state television said the United States would be forced to leave the Middle East after suffering a “painful blow”. ”

Khamenei has not been seen in public since the Middle East war began in late February. Khamenei’s comments come amid efforts to restart talks to end the fighting.

“The enemy is reluctant to go beyond the Arabian Sea, despite now suffering ‘painful blows’ at the hands of brave warriors and defenders of the Strait of Hormuz,” his statement said, without explicitly naming the United States. ”

“They have taken this risk, they have only harmed themselves,” he said. Soon the Arabian Sea will also be free from their presence. ”

The Arabian Sea, stretching from the Arabian Peninsula to India in the east, is an important sea route to reach Iran’s coasts and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and the United States have been fighting for control of Hormuz in the Middle East war since the U.S.-Israeli invasion began in February.

Before the war began, this strategic shipping route contributed to about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply. But after the war broke out, Tehran imposed a blockade on Hormuz, in response to which Washington announced its blockade of Iranian ports.