Tehran [Iran], Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed US President Donald Trump had “exaggerated” the effect of strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and threatened to target American military bases again, The Times of Israel reported.
In a televised speech on Thursday, Khamenei claimed Iran’s victory in the 12-day air war launched by Israel and inflicting a “severe slap” to the US. He made these remarks in his first speech since a ceasefire was declared between Iran and Israel.
He said, “The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration.” Khamenei said the US “has gained nothing from this war,” adding that American strikes “did nothing significant” to Iranian nuclear facilities.
Claiming victory in the conflict, he said, “The Islamic Republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America,” referring to Iran’s missile launch targeting US military base in Qatar, according to The Times of Israel report.
He threatened, “Such an action can be repeated in the future, too” and mentioned that Iran has “access to key US centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary.”
Tensions escalated in West Asia after the US conducted precision airstrikes early Sunday morning on three key Iranian nuclear facilities under “Operation Midnight Hammer.” Iran retaliated by launching multiple missiles at US military installations in Qatar and Iraq, including the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, CNN reported.
His remarks came two days after a ceasefire ended the war between Iran and Israel. He asserted that Iran will “never” surrender and the “enemy will definitely pay a heavy price” if “any aggression occurs.”
He said, “Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price.” Khamenei said, “Surrender will never happen. Our nation is powerful.”
Iran’s Supreme Leader said that the US had intervened in the war only because “it felt that if it did not intervene, the Zionist regime would be utterly destroyed.”
Congratulating Iran for securing a win against Iran, he said, “I want to congratulate the great Iranian nation… for its victory over the fallacious Zionist regime, The Times of Israel reported.
Khamenei has not been seen in public since taking shelter in a secret location after the conflict started on June 13, when Israel carried out an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted top military commanders and scientists.
Reports have indicated that Khamenei was stopped from communicating with the outside world due to fears of giving away his location. A state funeral will be held in Tehran on Saturday for top commanders and nuclear scientists killed in the conflict, as per the report.
Khamenei also issued a threat to Israel on the social media platform X. “The Zionist regime must know that attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran will result in a heavy cost for them,” he posted on X.
