Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei confirmed that the United States suffered a “shameful defeat” after what he described as the largest military move against his country, considering that this opens a new phase in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. On the other hand, the global price of Brent crude touched levels last seen in 2022 with the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, amid warnings of a worsening global energy crisis.
Published on: 01/05/2026 - 04:04 Last updated: 01/05/2026 - 09:53
To view this content from YouTube, it is necessary to allow the collection of viewing rates and YouTube ads.
It appears that an application in your Internet browser is preventing the video player from loading. In order to view this content, you must cancel its use.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei considered Thursday that the United States had suffered a “shameful defeat” in the war, in a new chapter of the war of words between Tehran and Washington, which contributed to temporarily raising oil prices to levels unprecedented since 2022.
Khamenei's written message, which was read on state television, said: "Today, two months after the largest military move and aggression by arrogant forces in the region and America's shameful defeat, a new phase is forming for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz."
On the other hand, the US Army confirms the success of the naval blockade, noting that it prevented dozens of oil tankers from leaving Iranian ports. US President Donald Trump described the siege in an interview with the Axios website as “slightly more effective than bombing,” while he is expected to receive a new military briefing on possible operational options.
In Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian escalated his rhetoric against the siege, considering it "a continuation of military operations." He said that what is being carried out "under the guise of a naval blockade is nothing but a continuation of military operations against a nation that is paying the price for its resistance and independence," stressing that "the continuation of this repressive approach is unacceptable." In turn, the Speaker of the Shura Council, Muhammad Baqir Qalibaf, promised that Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz would guarantee “a future free of American presence and interference” in the region.
Read also: Trump threatens to withdraw American forces from Italy and Spain amid an escalating dispute with NATO
"The largest energy crisis in history"
In energy markets, the price of global reference Brent crude jumped briefly to $126 a barrel on Thursday, its highest level since the beginning of 2022 at the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, before closing at $114. These jumps coincide with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which exacerbates supply shortages, raises inflation, and weakens global growth prospects.
On the internal level, daily life in Iran has returned to an almost normal rhythm with crowded cafes and parks, but citizens oscillate between depression and surrender to reality in light of a sharp economic deterioration and a continuing weakness in the value of the national currency.
As the negotiating track faltered, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his concern about the “suffocation” of the global economy due to developments in the Strait of Hormuz. In turn, the head of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, said that "the world is facing the largest energy crisis in history."
In this context, a US State Department official told Agence France-Presse that Washington had asked its embassies to persuade its allies to join an international coalition that would undertake the task of securing navigation in the Strait.
In parallel, Tehran responded by closing Hormuz and launching missiles and marches towards Israel and Gulf countries. The UAE announced a ban on its citizens traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq “in view of current developments,” and called on those there to return.
15 dead in Lebanon
On the Lebanese front, where Israel continues to occupy areas in the south and launch air strikes, at least 15 people were killed Thursday in Israeli raids, according to the Ministry of Health.
President Joseph Aoun denounced Israel's "continuous violations" of the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, calling for "pressure" on Tel Aviv to stop targeting civilians and medics.
Since April 17, a ceasefire announced by Washington has been in effect after hosting the first direct meeting at the ambassadorial level between Israel and Lebanon in decades, but the two sides are exchanging accusations of violating it.
The US Embassy in Beirut on Thursday urged a direct meeting between Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, considering that “the time for hesitation is over,” and that such a meeting, under the auspices of President Trump, would give Lebanon “tangible guarantees” for its sovereignty and borders, and humanitarian and reconstruction support.
A World Food Program tally shows that the Israeli raids on Lebanon since March 2 have killed more than 2,500 people and displaced more than a million people, while 1.2 million people face the risk of acute food insecurity.
France 24/AFP
Keywords related to the article
The content you want to browse is no longer in service or is currently unavailable.
