In his first public address since the end of a brief but intense 12-day conflict with Israel, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday declared Iran’s victory and issued a stern warning to the United States over its direct involvement in the war. Calling the US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites “a heavy slap to America’s face,” Khamenei accused President Donald Trump of using “showmanship” during the conflict.
Speaking in a televised address, Khamenei said, “My congratulations on our dear Iran’s victory over the US regime. The US regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing.”
My congratulations on our dear Iran’s victory over the US regime. The US regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 26, 2025
Ayatollah specifically pointed to Iran’s retaliation on the US’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, calling it “a great achievement” and a warning for any future aggression. “The Islamic Republic delivered a heavy slap to the US’s face,” read a message from his official X (formerly Twitter) account.
The Islamic Republic delivered a heavy slap to the US’s face. It attacked and inflicted damage on the Al-Udeid Air Base, which is one of the key US bases in the region.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 26, 2025
Iran Admits Nuclear Damage, Netanyahu Vows to ‘Defeat Common Enemies’
Khamenei’s speech follows Iran’s admission that its key nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were “badly damaged” in US airstrikes on June 21, contradicting earlier claims that there was no significant impact. The strikes marked Washington’s first direct military engagement in the conflict, which began on June 13 when Israel targeted Iranian military infrastructure.
Despite the nuclear setback, Khamenei asserted, “The Zionist regime, under the blows of the Islamic Republic, has almost collapsed and been crushed.” He warned that any further attacks on Iran would come “at a great cost.”
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The Supreme Leader also made his public appearance after nearly a week of speculation about his health and safety, with reports suggesting he had been moved to a secret underground bunker and had avoided electronic communication due to assassination threats. The New York Times reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had not ruled out targeting Khamenei, despite Trump’s advisory not to carry out such a strike.
Moments after Khamenei’s speech, Netanyahu responded with a message in Hebrew alongside a photo with President Trump, pledging to “defeat their common enemies” through continued cooperation.
The war, which lasted just under two weeks, saw ballistic missiles, airstrikes, and cyberattacks exchanged between Israel and Iran before a tense ceasefire brought the region back from the brink. With Khamenei’s bold remarks and Iran’s demand for compensation from Washington, tensions in the region remain volatile.
