The Cuban government confirms «talks» with US representatives. 4 dead among the 6 crew members of the crashed plane are confirmed. Order from Iranian leader shakes market: oil prices surge. US says, «I think we know why,» assures the Pentagon chief, who said Khamenei has «fear» and that much of his family, including his father and former leader, has died in the attacks. In his first message this Thursday as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Khamenei showed a defiant tone, called for keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed, threatened US bases in the Middle East, and assured that «the blood of the martyrs will be avenged». «The Strait of Hormuz must remain closed,» the new top political and religious authority in Iran stressed in a statement read by a presenter on state television as an image of the Iranian flag and a photo of the new leader were aired. The US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, stated this Friday that the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ali Khamenei, is «injured» and very possibly «disfigured» following the attacks that killed his father at the start of the war launched by Washington and Israel against Iran. «We know the new so-called, not so supreme, leader is injured and likely disfigured. He published a statement yesterday, actually a rather weak one, but there was no voice and no video,» the Pentagon chief said at a press conference. Hegseth assured that the new Supreme Leader «lacks legitimacy» and speaks of unity after «killing tens of thousands of protesters,» referring to the protests that began late last year until the start of the US and Israel war against Iran on February 28. «Iran has cameras and recorders, why did it issue a written statement?»
