Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a defiant statement following the recent ceasefire, claiming that Iran emerged victorious and delivered a “harsh slap” to the United States.
“Iran was able to emerge victorious and gave a harsh slap to America,” Khamenei posted on X, according to BBC.
He went further, declaring that Iran had triumphed over what he called the “American regime”, and accused the U.S. of entering the conflict directly out of fear for Israel’s survival:
“The U.S. entered the war because it believed that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed.”
Pentagon to Give Official Update on Iran Strikes
Khamenei’s remarks come just ahead of an expected official U.S. update on the impact of American airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday at the Pentagon, where he will present the latest findings regarding damage inflicted by the strikes.
President Donald Trump, through his Truth Social platform, teased the event:
“The Press Conference will be interesting and undeniable.”
NATO and the U.S. Message to Iran
Speaking at the recent NATO summit in The Hague, Hegseth confidently asserted that the U.S. intervention significantly reduced Iran’s nuclear capabilities, calling it a major strategic success for regional and global security.
