Iran vows to protect assets

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a defiant statement vowing to protect the country's nuclear and missile capabilities as national assets.

He declared that the United States has no place in the Persian Gulf except 'at the bottom of its waters,' signaling a hardening stance.

The message, read on state television, comes as a U.S. naval blockade continues to squeeze Iran's oil exports and economy.

Khamenei's rhetoric suggests that Tehran is unwilling to make concessions on its strategic weapons programs despite the mounting military and economic pressure.