IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER REVIVES ISRAEL COUNTDOWN RHETORIC

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei used a message for the Hajj pilgrimage to repeat hostile rhetoric toward Israel and the United States, even as Iranian and American officials continue indirect talks over the conflict, sanctions, nuclear issues, and the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state outlet Press TV published excerpts of the message Tuesday, while Reuters separately reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader had reasserted anti-American and anti-Israel rhetoric during the same period of ceasefire negotiations.

The most widely circulated line is that Israel will not survive another 15 years. That wording appears to be a compressed version of an older Iranian claim rather than an entirely new deadline. Press TV’s published excerpt says Israel is approaching the final stage of its existence and points back to Ali Khamenei’s earlier claim that Israel would not survive 25 years from the time he made that statement. Ali Khamenei’s official English-language site published that “25 years” formulation in 2016, tied to remarks made after the Iran nuclear deal period.

The timeline matters. Ali Khamenei’s original claim was made roughly a decade ago, so the “15 years” framing is best understood as the remaining portion of that earlier 25-year countdown, pointing toward approximately 2040. Iran International reported the line as “Israel will not exist in 15 years,” while Press TV’s primary-state text framed it as a continuation of Ali Khamenei’s earlier statement.

Mojtaba Khamenei’s message also called for Muslim countries to deepen cooperation and reduce reliance on U.S. power in the region. Press TV described the message as an appeal for Muslim nations to shape a new regional and global order beyond American dominance. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Khamenei said the United States would no longer find a “safe haven” for its military presence in the Middle East.

The position of Supreme Leader gives the remarks weight beyond ordinary political commentary. Iran’s supreme leader is the head of state and oversees government functions directly or indirectly, according to Britannica. In practice, the office holds decisive influence over national-security policy, the armed forces, foreign policy direction, and the limits within which Iran’s elected government operates.

Mojtaba Khamenei became Supreme Leader after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, during the U.S.-Israeli air campaign that began in late February, according to Reuters reporting. Reuters later reported that Mojtaba had suffered severe injuries in the strike that killed his father and remained largely out of public view, while still being treated as Iran’s new top authority.

The Hajj message also revived the slogans “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” according to state-linked and regional reporting. Those slogans have a long history inside the Islamic Republic. Ali Khamenei’s own website said in 2015 that “Death to America” referred to U.S. policies and “arrogance,” while The Guardian reported the same clarification at the time. That context does not soften the hostility of the slogans, but it helps explain how Iranian officials have historically framed them for domestic and international audiences.

The timing is important. The remarks came as Iran accused the United States of violating a fragile ceasefire through new strikes near the Strait of Hormuz, while U.S. officials described the strikes as defensive. Reuters reported that talks remain focused on reopening Hormuz, releasing frozen Iranian assets, and structuring a later phase for nuclear negotiations. In that context, Khamenei’s message gives Iran’s hardline position a public ideological frame while negotiators continue working through practical terms.

For Israel and the United States, the message will likely reinforce concerns that Tehran’s diplomatic track does not represent a broader strategic shift away from hostility. For Iran, the message appears designed to project continuity after Ali Khamenei’s death, reassure hardline constituencies, and position the Islamic Republic as still resisting U.S. and Israeli influence while negotiating under pressure.

The safest reading is that the message is a statement of state ideology and regional posture, not a new military order on its own. But in the middle of ceasefire talks, shipping disruption, U.S. strikes, Hezbollah-Israel fighting, and nuclear negotiations, rhetoric from Iran’s Supreme Leader can still affect diplomacy. The words matter because they shape what each side thinks the other is willing — or unwilling — to compromise on.

Fact-check date: 26 May 2026
Sources: Reuters, Press TV, Iran International, Wall Street Journal, Britannica, The Guardian, Khamenei.ir

[IMG]https://vepbrgvfdbpwzesrqysv.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/1779841001491-suig3haw9b.png||Mission Offline Desk[/IMG]