Iran Will Strike Back If Attacked, Supreme Leader Vows in First Public Appearance Since Ceasefire
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a stern warning that his country will retaliate against any future U.S. military aggression, specifically targeting American bases across the Middle East.
His remarks, broadcast Thursday on state television, mark his first public statement since a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was announced.
Khamenei, 86, had not been seen publicly since taking refuge in a secure location following the outbreak of war on June 13. Speaking from an undisclosed indoor site, flanked by the Iranian flag and a portrait of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, he declared Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar earlier this week as “a slap to America’s face.” The attack caused no casualties.
“Our access to important U.S. centers in the region is not a small matter—it’s a significant development. And it can be repeated,” Khamenei warned. “If America strikes again, we will respond with full force.”
He further claimed that the U.S. only entered the war to prevent Israel’s total defeat and that, in his view, Iran emerged victorious. Khamenei also downplayed the impact of U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, accusing President Donald Trump of exaggerating their success to mislead the public.
“These attacks achieved nothing substantial,” he said. “Trump wants to cover up the truth, but our people know better.”
Khamenei’s defiant tone comes amid domestic celebration and international scrutiny. Iranian state media has hailed the ceasefire as a victory, despite widespread reports of severe damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities and losses among military leadership.
On Thursday, Iran’s powerful Guardian Council approved a new law suspending all cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the IAEA. Under the legislation, cooperation will only resume once Iran’s atomic energy agency and national security council certify that its facilities are safe and internationally recognized as peaceful.
Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff indicated a willingness to resume diplomatic talks with Iran in Oman next week. Iran has yet to confirm participation, and officials are reportedly still assessing whether any functional uranium enrichment capability remains after the joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei acknowledged that the country’s nuclear facilities were “severely damaged,” avoiding specifics on whether any could be salvaged.
The war’s legal dimensions also continue to unfold. Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, currently visiting China, has expressed frustration over the lack of condemnation from Western nations regarding Israel’s preemptive strikes, which Iran insists violated international law and the UN Charter.
Trump, for his part, announced the partial lifting of sanctions on Iran to allow for increased oil exports to China framed as a gesture of goodwill amid escalating tensions.
However, Khamenei made no mention of the proposed talks. Instead, he reiterated that Iran would never capitulate to U.S. demands, particularly what he described as Trump’s ultimate goal of “unconditional surrender.”
Adding to the complexity, France’s Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu confirmed that French forces intercepted fewer than 10 Iranian drones aimed at Israel during the 12-day conflict. Lecornu told the French Parliament that Iran launched approximately 400 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel during that period.
As diplomatic channels remain tentative, Khamenei’s comments underscore Iran’s hardened stance, suggesting that any future military engagement could quickly escalate.
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