TEHRAN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday called for the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and pledged to open new fronts in his country's conflict with the United States and Israel.

He made the remarks in his first message published on his website since Sunday's announcement of his appointment as Iran's supreme leader.

"The demand of the masses of people is the continuation of the effective and regret-inducing defense. Also, the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely continue to be used," Khamenei said, addressing the country's people and armed forces.

"Studies have been conducted on the opening of other battlefronts where enemy has little experience and will be extremely vulnerable, and their activation will take place if the war situation continues and based on considering the interests," he said.

Khamenei extended condolences over the "heartbreaking martyrdom" of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, saying he learned of the Assembly of Experts' decision to select him as Iran's new leader, like other Iranians, through state-run IRIB TV.

The new supreme leader praised the country's "brave" armed forces, who "have blocked the enemies' path with their crushing blows, and have dispelled their illusion of being able to dominate or possibly divide Iran."

He vowed to avenge the "blood Iran's martyrs," and said Iran will seek compensation from its "enemies." If refused, "we will take as much of their property as we determine, and if that would not be possible, we will destroy the same amount of their property," he said.

Khamenei said Iran is willing to have "warm and constructive" relations with all the 15 countries with which it shares land or water borders. However, due to the presence of the "enemy's" military and financial bases in some, Iranian strikes on those facilities will continue without attacking the neighbors themselves, he said.

He advised Iran's neighbors to shut down U.S. bases in their territories as soon as possible, "as they must have realized by now that the U.S. claim of establishing security and peace was nothing more than a lie."

On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.

U.S. and Israeli officials said they are preparing for at least two more weeks of strikes in Iran, with no internal directive on when fighting might stop, according to a Wednesday Axios report.