On April 30, 2026, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei made a bold declaration regarding the United States' position in the Persian Gulf.
Khamenei stated that the US has faced defeat in its ongoing conflict with the Islamic Republic, suggesting a diminished role for the US in the region.
He emphasized that the only place for the US in the Persian Gulf, according to his remarks, would be 'at the bottom of its waters.'