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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public speech since the Israel-Iran war began. He claimed victory over both Israel and the US, praised Iranian unity, and rejected American calls for Iran to surrender.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke publicly on Thursday for the first time since a ceasefire was declared between Iran and Israel earlier this week.
Khamenei addressed the nation in a video broadcast on Iranian state TV, saying that Iran had defeated Israel and "slapped the face of America".
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His last public appearance was on June 18, when he released a short video message while reportedly sheltering at a secure location due to the war.
Israel-Iran conflict: How the war began
The war broke out on June 13, when Israel launched attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites and targeted top Iranian commanders and scientists.
Iran responded with large-scale missile and drone strikes. The fighting continued for over a week. On June 22, the US launched a heavy airstrike using bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities.
A ceasefire was later negotiated on June 24 with the help of US President Donald Trump which was breached within hours of official announcement by Israel with Iran dismissing the reports initially. Trump warned Israel not to drop bombs on Iran, stressing it would be 'a major violation'. Trump later announced that the truce was 'in effect' and claimed that Iran's nuclear capacities were gone.
Iran officially admitted admitted that its key nuclear facilities were badly hit in the US airstrikes. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told media that Iran’s enrichment sites were 'badly damaged' and said this damage was 'for sure'.
What Khamenei said in his speech
In his full video message, Khamenei began by paying tribute to Iranian soldiers, commanders and scientists who died during the conflict. He then made three major claims:
1. Victory over Israel
Khamenei said that Israel had been seriously damaged by Iranian strikes. He claimed that the Israeli military was unprepared for Iran’s level of attack.
“The regime was nearly crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic,” he said.
He added that Iran’s armed forces were able to penetrate Israel’s advanced defense systems and strike both military and urban areas.
2. Victory over the US
Khamenei said that the United States entered the war to protect Israel, but “gained nothing.” He confirmed that Iran retaliated by hitting a major US airbase in Qatar, al-Udeid, on Monday.
While that strike caused no casualties, Khamenei called it a powerful message of Iran’s regional strength.
3. Unity of the Iranian people
He praised the unity of Iran’s 90 million people, saying they showed strength and supported the military.
“Iran showed its strength and unity, something the world should recognize,” he said.
Strong words for the US
Khamenei criticized US President Donald Trump for calling on Iran to ‘surrender’. He said that this demand goes beyond nuclear issues and is about forcing Iran to give up its independence.
“Iran will never surrender,” he said. “This is a country with deep history, culture, and strength. The demand is ridiculous.”
Khamenei, now a primary target for Israel, also accused previous US leaders of hiding their true intentions behind diplomatic language, while claiming that the current administration was openly trying to humiliate Iran.
A message of defiance
Khamenei ended his message by calling Iran “honorable and victorious”. He asked for God’s protection over the country and its people, and mentioned the Imam Mahdi, a holy figure in Shia Islam.
