Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has declared that his country defeated the United States and Israel in their recent conflict, stating that both nations failed to achieve their objectives despite using advanced military technology.
In his first public comments since a ceasefire was declared, Khamenei told viewers that Washington had only intervened in the fighting because it felt that without intervention, the Israeli regime would be utterly destroyed. He emphasized that the United States achieved no gains from this war.
The conflict lasted 12 days, beginning on June 13 when Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted top military commanders and scientists. The United States later joined the Israeli assault, prompting Iran to retaliate with missile attacks.
Khamenei claimed Iran had given the United States a big slap in the face by attacking the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is home to thousands of American forces. However, none of the roughly dozen missiles Iran fired at the sprawling base hit it, as they were intercepted.
The Supreme Leader downplayed the damage caused to Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying President Trump had exaggerated the results of the strikes. He insisted that no important damage had occurred and that Iran’s nuclear program remains largely intact.
The conflict resulted in at least 627 civilian deaths in Iran according to Tehran’s health ministry, while Iranian attacks on Israel killed 28 people. A US-brokered ceasefire eventually ended the confrontation.
Khamenei warned that if Israel attacks Iran again, they will face further destruction, threatening that Iran could repeat its strikes on American centers in the region whenever necessary.
