Khamenei Claims Victory Over Israel and U.S. in First Post-War Statement
In his first public statement since the recent ceasefire, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared a decisive victory over Israel and the United States in a televised address. Khamenei claimed the U.S. intervened directly in the conflict to prevent the “annihilation” of Israel, asserting that Iran delivered a “hard slap” to Washington, which he said “achieved nothing” in the war.
The remarks, posted on his official account (@khamenei_ir), congratulated Iran for triumphing over the “fallacious Zionist regime” during Operation Rising Lion.
In his first public remarks since the Iran-Israel ceasefire, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a defiant recorded response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for Iranian surrender, calling it “too much to ask.” He accused Trump of exposing America’s true intentions, saying the U.S. would only be satisfied with Iran’s complete capitulation. He vowed that Iran “will never surrender” and warned Israel that attacking the Islamic Republic “comes at a heavy price”, a lesson he claimed the “Zionist regime” has now learned.
He also downplayed the impact of U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, acknowledging damage but claiming Washington “failed to achieve much.”
Despite Tehran’s narrative of resilience, reports indicate significant Iranian casualties, widespread infrastructure damage, and the loss of senior IRGC officials. Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the conflict ended, raising questions about his whereabouts.
