Tehran [Iran], June 27 : Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed that US President Donald Trump had "exaggerated" the impact of recent strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, while warning of further retaliation, The Times of Israel reported.
In a televised address on Thursday, Khamenei made his first appearance in more than a week after reportedly going into hiding amid an Israeli air campaign that killed many of his top generals. He hailed Iran's "victory" in the 12-day war with Israel, claiming that Tel Aviv's offensive had "almost collapsed" following Iranian strikes.
"The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration," Khamenei said, as quoted by The Times of Israel. "The United States has gained nothing from this war," he added, claiming American strikes "did nothing significant" to Iran's nuclear program.
Khamenei described the Iranian missile attack on the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, which houses US troops, as a "severe slap to the face of America" and warned that such actions could be repeated.
He said, "Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price. Surrender will never happen. Our nation is powerful."
The Times of Israel reported that Khamenei accused the United States of intervening only to prevent Israel's complete collapse, saying, "It felt that if it did not intervene, the Zionist regime would be utterly destroyed."
"I want to congratulate the great Iranian nation... for its victory over the fallacious Zionist regime," he said. The 86-year-old leader, appearing in front of a plain backdrop similar to a previous June 19 message, may still be in hiding.
According to The Times of Israel, Israel's campaign, launched on June 13, involved a sweeping assault on top Iranian military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile infrastructure. In response, Iran fired around 550 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones at Israel, with most intercepted. Some impacted civilian areas, killing 28 and injuring thousands.
The conflict concluded with a US-brokered ceasefire. However, both nations have claimed victory. Trump stated the US strikes had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear facilities, while CIA chief John Ratcliffe claimed key sites were destroyed and would take years to rebuild. Meanwhile, the Israeli military said the strikes had dealt a "significant" blow, though full assessment is pending.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added, "We have thwarted Iran's nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt."
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