WASHINGTON – Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei admitted on Friday that he has been severely affected by the US and Israel, claiming he was “saved” by Trump. He warned that further uranium enrichment could lead to another US bombing.
Trump responded by saying, “You are a man of great faith and respected in your country, but you need to acknowledge the truth: you’ve been beaten to hell.” This was after he chuckled at Khamenei, asserting that he triumphed in their recent exchanges.
During a brief appearance in the White House briefing room, Trump stated, “Nuclear weapons aren’t even on their radar right now.”
He also mentioned that if Iran continues to enrich uranium, he wouldn’t hesitate to bomb them again, stating, “Without a doubt, absolutely.”
Later, Trump implied that the 86-year-old cleric, who has been in power since 1989, owed his survival to him and noted that the US would maintain severe sanctions due to Khamenei’s perceived lack of gratitude.
“As a man of great faith, he should not lie. His country was determined, and we’ve taken out the locations of his nuclear weapons,” Trump claimed.
Trump continued, “I saved him from a very ugly and ignorant death. He doesn’t have to say ‘Thank you, President Trump!’ But I did demand that Israel reclaim a significant number of planes during the final actions.”
He shared that he had been exploring ways to ease sanctions, which could provide Iran a chance for a swift recovery, but noted that the sanctions are firmly in place.
Khamenei, for his part, declared on Thursday that he was “winning” in the 12-day conflict, despite losing control over his airspace prior to the bombings that destroyed three nuclear sites.
In his remarks on X, he claimed the Islamic Republic achieved a victory by retaliating against the US, referencing a notable missile launch aimed at a US base in Qatar. This missile, however, was intercepted, and a ceasefire was reached shortly thereafter.
