- By Ajeet Kumar
- Thu, 26 Jun 2025 04:02 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday that the US "could not achieve anything significant" when it joined the war with Israel against Tehran, his account said in a posting on X. In his first public statement since the end of the Israel-Iran war, Khamenei said Iran achieved victory over Israel. Khamenei took shelter in a secret location during the 12-day war as Israeli forces pounded Tehran before the US intervened on its behalf.
With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 26, 2025
During his over 10-minute long address, Khamenei admitted that the US B2-Bombers damaged nuclear sites but did not hamper much. He told viewers that the US had only intervened in the war because it feared that "the Zionist regime would be utterly destroyed". However, he said the US could not achieve anything significant from this war. "The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America's face," he said, in an apparent reference to an Iranian missile attack on an American base in Qatar on Monday, which caused no casualties.
Iran delivered a hand slap to US: Khamenei
Iran's supreme leader said his country "delivered a slap to America's face". Khamenei warned that any future aggression against Iran would come at a "great cost". Khamenei also said that Iran's ability to potentially reach major US military bases is a considerable achievement, and added that such actions could be repeated if aggression is renewed.
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
86-year-old Khamenei made his first public appearance since June 19, addressing the nation via a recorded video broadcast on Iranian state television. He appeared noticeably fatigued, with a hoarse voice and occasional stumbles in his speech. Khamenei has been in a secret location since June 13, when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted top military commanders and scientists, sparking the recent conflict.
The broadcast comes after a US attack on Iran's nuclear facilities on Sunday, which was followed by a ceasefire negotiated by President Donald Trump that took effect on Tuesday.