Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently claimed victory over Israel, declaring in his first speech after the ceasefire that it was a “slap in America’s face.”
Khamenei insisted he was “winning” in the ongoing conflict, despite significant losses in Iran’s nuclear advancements, including the reported elimination of three nuclear enrichment facilities and the loss of key scientists.
“The Islamic Republic won and gave America a slap in retaliation,” he stated on Thursday.
The leader of Iran has been largely reclusive, possibly due to fears of an assassination attempt following Israel’s Operation “Rizinglion,” which began on June 13.
In this operation, Israel launched numerous missiles around Tehran and carried out covert missions aimed at dismantling defense systems.
Khamenei’s remarks came shortly after President Trump ordered B-2 bombers to deploy “bunkerbusting” bombs on the underground Fordow nuclear site, with naval submarines targeting two additional sites, Natanz and Isfahan.
“We hit nuclear sites, but didn’t achieve much,” Khamenei remarked in his speech, also critiquing Trump’s approach as mere “showmanship.”
Previously, Khamenei had claimed that the threats and claims made by Israel left the Zionist regime “practically knocked out and crushed under the blow of the Islamic Republic.”
His statements come as a ceasefire has been established between Iran and Israel. Trump announced that Iran was preparing to launch a missile attack on Israel, which put the 79-year-old leader in a tough position.
Though Israel did mobilize fighter jets towards Iran, no attacks occurred. Trump later commented, “Israel is not going to attack Iran. All the planes turn and go home, running a friendly ‘airplane wave’ with Iran.”
On his way to the NATO summit, Trump mentioned, “I think they both violated” the ceasefire terms. There are efforts from the US and Qatar to bring Iran back to the negotiating table regarding its nuclear energy program.
