Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has issued a new warning to the United States, declaring that Washington can no longer expect to maintain an uncontested military and political presence across the Middle East.

In a post on X, Khamenei wrote:

“The Great Satan – the criminal US – has now realized that the continuation of its trouble-free, domineering presence in the region is nothing but a naive fantasy.”

The term “Great Satan” has been a defining feature of Iran’s political rhetoric since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, reflecting Tehran’s longstanding opposition to US influence and military deployments in the region.

Relations between Iran and the United States have deteriorated sharply following recent military confrontations, including US strikes on Iranian energy and maritime infrastructure earlier this year. The escalating tensions have pushed diplomatic engagement between the two countries to one of its lowest points in decades.

Mojtaba Khamenei emerged as Iran’s Supreme Leader following the martyrdom of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and is now regarded as the country’s highest political and religious authority.