In a propaganda message released to the public, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei promised a "new chapter" and "bright future" for the Gulf — "one without the United States". In his statement, Khamenei signaled a sweeping plan to assert Tehran’s authority over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints for global oil shipments. Iran’s new supreme leader has not been seen in public since US‑Israeli strikes in the early hours of the war reportedly left him with severe facial injuries and a disfigured appearance, according to multiple Western and Iranian‑linked reports. Western officials describe Mojtaba Khamenei as severely wounded and likely “disfigured.” Reuters and major US media outlets cited anonymous Iranian insiders who say Khamenei remains “mentally alert”, though he has not delivered a public video address since assuming office.…