Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that his country’s adversaries had turned to “hybrid warfare”, aimed at creating divisions among Iranians, after receiving a “decisive blow”.

Mojtaba, who has not appeared publicly since being named as the supreme leader on March 8, made these remarks in his message on the death anniversary of Iran’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

The message shared on his official X account and reported by the Iranian media.

Mojtaba’s message stated, “The malicious enemy has been defeated in its confrontation with the armed forces. Since it has received a decisive blow both in military combat and in Iran’s public squares and streets, it’s experiencing a profound and significant humiliation.

“The enemy has focused its schemes in hybrid warfare on two points: the resilience of the Iranian people and trying to create errors in the assessments of the country’s officials. The instrument it’s using for both is sowing the seeds of doubt, despair, fear, mistrust and discord.”

“In confronting these ill intentions, everyone must, through steadfastness, insight, preserving unity and cohesion … neutralise their sinister plot,” his message said.

He further said, “Imperialism, led by the US, has built a military base called Israel over the past 80 years. And they don’t accept the existence of a strong, independent Iran on the eastern border of the false, illegitimate geography of ‘Greater Israel’ — that is, east of the Euphrates River.”

Mojtaba also highlighted the role of Iranian authorities in this regard, saying that “any act that causes pessimism and disappointment among the people is considered a kind of aid to the enemy of this country and its people”, Press TV reported.

The remarks by Iran’s third supreme leader were read out by a prayer leader at the mausoleum of Khomeini, on the 37th anniversary of his death.

After Khomeini’s death in 1989, Ali Khamenei succeeded him as supreme leader until he was assassinated on February 28 this year during US and Israeli attacks that triggered a regional war.

The conflict was halted with a ceasefire deal on April 8, followed by direct and mediated talks for a permanent end that have failed to reach an agreement.

Every June 4 since 1989, Ali Khamenei had delivered a speech at the commemoration. This year, an empty chair bearing his portrait stood at the mausoleum, according to footage broadcast from the site.

Portraits of Mojtaba and the two previous supreme leaders were displayed at the mausoleum in southern Tehran, according to the live broadcast.

Attendees waved the flag of the Islamic republic and banners of the Lebanese group Hezbollah.