Iran vows to keep nuclear program, dominate Persian Gulf

Iran’s supreme leader said Thursday that the Islamic Republic will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities as a national asset. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei added that the only place Americans belonged in the Persian Gulf was at the bottom of its waters. He said by God’s help, the gulf will have a future without America and that a new chapter was being written in the region’s history. The statement attributed to Khamenei was read on television by a state television anchor. The leader hasn’t appeared in public since his father was killed and he was named to the office roughly a month ago, prompting speculation about his condition and actual power in the country.

His remarks come as Iran’s oil industry has been affected by a U.S. naval blockade stopping it from selling oil. The U.S. military so far has barred more than 40 oil tankers from leaving Iranian ports, according to a Wednesday statement from U.S. Admiral Brad Cooper. The ships carry 69 million barrels of oil, an estimated $6 billion value, that Iran can’t sell, Cooper noted.

What recent updates has the Pentagon provided on the war? On Wednesday, a Pentagon official said the war with Iran has cost an estimated $25 billion. The costs have primarily stemmed from munitions expenses and included operations, maintenance, and equipment replacements, Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst III said during a House hearing Wednesday. 

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Black’s report on how U.S.-Iran tensions overshadowed a United Nations meeting.