Iran-US geopolitical tensions and rhetoric

Iranian religious and political leaders have issued several warnings regarding geopolitical tensions and the influence of global powers, specifically targeting the United States.

In early October, religious leaders in Mashhad and Isfahan addressed the nation, emphasizing resilience against external pressures. Ayatollah Seyyed Ahmad Alamolhoda criticized U.S. efforts to influence Iranian leadership and suggested that any actions leading to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz would serve American interests. In Isfahan, Ayatollah Aboulhasan Mahdavi called for national resilience and religious integrity to counter external pressures.

By mid-October, the rhetoric shifted toward broader criticisms of imperial ambitions. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned global powers against seeking dominance, using historical analogies to suggest such ambitions lead to shame. Simultaneously, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio of using selective historical interpretations to justify military force.

In late October, religious figures in Bushehr, Dir, Bandar Abbas, and Sanandaj continued this theme of resistance. Hojatoleslam Javad Nasrollahpour emphasized the necessity of achieving “full deterrence” in strategic locations, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Mostafa Rostami praised the steadfastness of the Iranian people against military, economic, and media pressures. Meanwhile, Abdolreza Pourzahabi, the representative of the Supreme Leader in Kurdistan, asserted that the country has achieved a level of deterrence where any strike against the nation would face a reciprocal response. Hojatoleslam Hosseinzadeh Hesari also criticized U.S. foreign policy, citing military actions in Vietnam, Iraq, and Syria as evidence of “global arrogance.”