Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declares Iran’s victory over Israel and the United States
In a nationally televised address, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene, has declared what he calls a ‘crushing’ victory over Israel and the United States following a 12-day conflict. The military hostilities began with Israel’s strikes on key Iranian military and nuclear sites, prompting Iran’s retaliatory attacks. This was followed by a US military intervention, including the use of bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Despite the US actions, Khamenei asserted that the attacks failed to prevent Iran’s advancement in its strategic objectives.
Khamenei criticized the US for entering the war to protect Israel, calling the intervention ineffective. He also commended Iran’s attack on a US military base in Qatar, describing it as a ‘slap in the face’ to Washington and a warning that further provocations could lead to more attacks on key US interests in the region. An agreement to halt hostilities was reached, with the US pressuring Israel to end its military operations.
Israel claims that its initial actions were preemptive, aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies pursuing such weapons and asserts its right to peaceful nuclear energy. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported seeing no evidence of Iran building a nuclear weapon, and Tehran has announced it will suspend all cooperation with the UN agency following the escalation.