Iran's Supreme Leader claims divine status as world's foremost power
What happened
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei made a statement in Tehran on 28 September asserting that while some describe Iran as the world's fourth superpower by conventional calculations, Iran holds the rank of foremost global power according to divine calculations. The statement was reported by Telegram channel @ClashReport and X account @ConflictTR.
Context and assessment
The claim comes amid a series of assertive Iranian statements on 27–28 September, including declarations that enemy forces will not enter the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, announcements of capturing a U.S. underwater vehicle, and threats regarding regional trade. Iran's Foreign Ministry has also reiterated the legality of uranium enrichment at 60 percent, signaling a dual posture of military readiness and diplomatic availability. These statements suggest Iran is attempting to project deterrence and regional dominance while managing escalation risks in a period of elevated tensions.
Sources and confidence
Reported by two sources: Telegram channel @ClashReport and X account @ConflictTR. Both reported the statement with consistent wording. Confidence of 7.0 reflects dual sourcing of a direct public statement from Iran's leadership, though neither source provides video or transcript verification. Confidence would rise with official state media confirmation or video evidence; it would lower if either source retracted or if the statement proved misquoted.
Location
Tehran, Iran, identified at settlement precision. The Iranian capital is the seat of Iran's Supreme Leader and government, the expected location for major policy statements. No specific venue or facility was identified in reports.
Related events nearby
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- Iranian Chief of General Staff Tümgeneral Emir Hatemi threatens that if Iran cannot conduct trade, no other na2026-09-28 00:30 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
- Iran's official statement declares readiness for both 'Doomsday War' (military confrontation) and diplomatic e2026-09-27 19:06 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
- Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi reiterates that 60% uranium enrichment is legal and for peaceful purposes, co2026-09-27 15:33 UTC · Statement · Tehran, Iran
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Intel Mapper aggregates open-source reports from monitored Telegram and X channels, geolocates them, cross-checks duplicates across sources and assigns a confidence score. Entries are updated as new confirmations arrive. Read how we verify events.