TEHRAN — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei has said that the United States has suffered an irreversible decline in both its military capabilities and international soft power, stating that recent developments in the Persian Gulf have exposed the limits of American power and accelerated the erosion of its global hegemony.

In a message issued on Wednesday, November 4, marking Iran’s National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance and Students’ Day, Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation had reached a clearer understanding than ever of the nature of its confrontation with the United States. He described the occasion as a reminder of key turning points in the “historic struggle between the fronts of truth and falsehood, and between the oppressed and their oppressors.”

The Leader traced the roots of US hostility toward Iran to the August 19, 1953, coup, saying Washington orchestrated to secure control over the country’s national resources, particularly its oil. He said subsequent decades were marked by American efforts to exploit Iran’s wealth, preserve the Pahlavi monarchy and suppress popular opposition, including through support for the establishment of SAVAK, the regime’s intelligence and security organization.

He said Washington’s hostility continued after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, citing its support for separatist groups and coup plotters, backing for the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), assistance to Iraq during the 1980–88 Iraqi-imposed war, the downing of an Iranian civilian airliner, prolonged economic sanctions and interference in Iran’s domestic affairs.

Ayatollah Khamenei also cited the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the seizure of Iranian assets abroad and direct military attacks during the “Second and Third Imposed Wars.” Those attacks, he said, claimed the lives of Iranian scientists, commanders, prominent figures and civilians, including infants, children and elderly people, as well as the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

He said Washington’s ultimate objective had consistently been to dominate Iran and force its people into submission. In its latest efforts, he said, the United States had openly pursued the fragmentation of the country, the collapse of its political system and the destruction of its ancient civilization. Such ambitions, however, had repeatedly been frustrated by the realities on the ground and the Iranian nation’s steadfast determination.

Turning to the Persian Gulf, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, Ayatollah Khamenei said recent developments had shattered the perception of US military invincibility and exposed the vulnerability of governments that depend on foreign powers rather than their own people for security. He also questioned the ability and willingness of major powers to protect their regional partners.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei described Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz and the destruction of US military bases in regional countries as responses to American aggression during the Third Imposed War. He characterized these developments as part of a broader regional struggle against global arrogance, warning that any renewed aggression would be met with a response on a much greater scale.

He also highlighted the role of resistance movements in Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, saying their actions, together with Iran’s national unity and military strength, were helping lay the foundations for a new world order. Citing the Quranic verse, “Indeed, falsehood is bound to perish” (17:81), he said that no degree of power or resources could ultimately prevent the forces of falsehood from retreating and suffering defeat.

Ayatollah Khamenei rejected the notion that a change in US administrations, political parties or policies could bring an end to Washington’s hostility toward Iran. He said those who believed concessions could persuade the United States to abandon its pressure campaign were gravely mistaken, arguing that Washington sought nothing less than the unconditional surrender of the Iranian nation.

Any inclination toward submission, he warned, would squander the national capital built through the sacrifices of the Iranian people and the blood of the martyrs, while encouraging further demands and aggression.

A stronger Iran as the foundation of deterrence

The Leader said the only path to achieving complete deterrence was to sustain a strategy of building an Iran stronger than ever through comprehensive progress. He identified national unity, solidarity and social cohesion as indispensable conditions for success, calling on both the public and government officials to make these principles the basis of their words and actions.

He stressed that public support for officials must be matched by the latter’s commitment to dedicated service, closer engagement with the people and sustained efforts to improve livelihoods, welfare and both the material and spiritual well-being of society, while safeguarding national dignity and independence.

Emphasizing the role of the younger generation, Ayatollah Khamenei described young people, university students and schoolchildren as the vanguard of Iran’s future. He urged them to overcome despair and the belief that change is impossible, and instead embrace hope, self-confidence and the conviction that “we can.”

He said achieving this vision required exceptional preparedness and the cultivation of knowledge, faith, practical skills, ethical values, determination and sustained effort.

The Leader expressed hope that, through divine grace, Iran would soon witness victory, prosperity and comprehensive progress, while the domination of the “Great Satan” would continue to decline at an accelerating pace.

He concluded by invoking a Quranic verse: “Indeed, they see it as far off, but We see it as near” (70:6–7).