Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the "new world order is emerging" and that "Iran will have a strong role in creating" it, according to a Farsi language transcript of Khamenei’s remarks late last week to the country’s Assembly of Experts.
Iran will lead this "new world order" that will replace American influence as capitalism and Western influence collapses, according to Khamenei, who underwent surprise prostate surgery on Monday.
"Iran will have a strong role in creating the new world order," Khamenei said, explaining that Tehran will expand its already growing influence in Latin America and even Asia.
"We have important potential outside Iran, we have supporters, we have strategic depth, in the region, some because of Islam, some because of language, some because of Shia religion, they are our strategic depth, these are all our strengths, we should use them all," Khamenei said, according to a translation of his remarks provided to the Washington Free Beacon.
"And it is not only in the region, outside the region, in Latin America we have strategic depth, in some important parts of Asia we have strategic depth, we have the tools to use these opportunities and we have to use these opportunities, using them makes the country strong," Khamenei said.
A sign of the West’s waning power came when "the Zionist regime of Israel" purportedly "lost the battle against the small population of the Muslims in Gaza," according to a separate recounting of Khamenei’s remarks published by the state-run Fars News Agency.
"The recent war in Gaza was an example of miracle; a small region with limited capabilities accomplished a task that brought the Zionist regime, as the symbol of the West's power, to its knees," he was quoted as saying. "The current world order cannot continue and a new order is emerging."
On Monday, just days after delivering these remarks to top leaders in Iran, Khamenei entered the hospital for prostate surgery.
The surgery was reported to have been successful and Khamenei was accompanied by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who was pictured kissing the Supreme Leader’s head shorty after the procedure ended.
"I have a surgery and I am now leaving for the hospital," Khamenei was quoted as telling the country’s press early Monday. "There is no reason to worry; this, of course, does not mean that I don't need people's prayers, but God willing, there is no point to worry as it is a normal operation."
While Khamenei has not addressed the public since the operation, Rouhani said that he is recovering.
Khamenei, who will reportedly be in the hospital for up to five days, is "in good health conditions now," Rouhani was quoted as telling reporters in Tehran.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities announced that it had arrested a Ukrainian for attempting to spy on the country's nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Iran claimed that the spy was hired by the United States in a bid to "impair" Tehran's relations with Russia.