Khamenei claims victory over Israel & US in first televised address since ceasefire
Tehran, June 26 (UNI) In his first televised message since a ceasefire ended the 12-day long Israel-Iran war, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory over Israel, stating that Tehran 'delivered a hand slap to America's face,' reports The Times of Israel.
Khamenei, who has been in hiding since the war started, delivered his address in a video broadcast on Iranian state television, his first appearance since June 19, looking very fatigued.
As in the previously reported tweets, he alleged that the US had only intervened in the war because 'it felt that if it did not intervene, the Zionist regime would be utterly destroyed.'
He also claimed that Iran's armed forces managed to break through Israel's multilayered defence systems, and target urban and military sites.
While Israel had confirmed that some enemy missiles did manage to enter the country, there has been minimal damage to personnel and infrastructure, which greatly contrasts Iran's own position, with several key leaders eliminated, and massive damage dealt to Iranian military infrastructure.
Adding that Washington 'achieved no gains from this war,' he stated that US President Donald Trump had greatly 'exaggerated' the impact of US strikes on the country's three premier nuclear sites.
'They attacked our nuclear facilities, which of course would merit criminal prosecution in international courts, but they did nothing significant,' he said.
Khamenei further alleged that Trump 'exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration — anyone who has heard these words has understood that there is another truth behind these words.'
'Trump, in one of his speeches, said Iran needs to surrender. This is too big for him to ask. Trump has unveiled the truth that the US will only be satisfied with Iran's surrender,' he added.
The supreme leader further said that Tehran's enemies 'use excuses like missiles or the nuclear program, but are actually looking for our surrender. Surrender will never happen. Our nation is powerful.'
Referencing the Iranian missile strike on a US base in Qatar, he said that Iran's ability to potentially reach major US military bases is a considerable achievement and added that such actions could be repeated if aggression is renewed, even though the Iranian strike caused no damage to the base as it was quickly intercepted.
'The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America's face,' claimed Khamenei.
The 86-year-old hasn't been seen in public since taking shelter in a secret location after the outbreak of the war on June 13, when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted top military commanders and scientists.
Khamenei warned that any future aggression against Iran will come at a great cost.
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