In his first appearance since a ceasefire was declared between Iran and Israel, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a stark warning, Iran will strike U.S. military bases across the Middle East if attacked again.
In a pre-recorded address aired on state television, Khamenei claimed Iran had “slapped America in the face” with a missile strike on a U.S. base in Qatar earlier this week, a symbolic act that caused no casualties but was clearly intended as a warning.
Absent from public view since June 13, Khamenei appeared seated beside the Iranian flag and a portrait of Ayatollah Khomeini, declaring:
“The Islamic Republic has access to strategic U.S. positions in the region. If we are attacked again, this capability will no longer be theoretical—it will be used.”
Khamenei hailed the ceasefire as a strategic win, accusing the U.S. of stepping in only to prevent what he called the “total collapse” of Israel. He downplayed the effect of recent U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, saying:
“They achieved nothing of importance.”
However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei later told Al Jazeera that the damage to nuclear sites was “severe,” though he declined to provide specifics—fueling speculation about the current state of Iran’s uranium enrichment capability.
Iran’s Guardian Council has approved legislation to suspend cooperation with the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, in the wake of the strikes. Under the new law, monitoring will resume only after Iranian authorities confirm that facilities are secure and remain for peaceful use.
This development complicates possible nuclear diplomacy, even as U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has floated the idea of restarting talks in Oman next week—an invitation Iran has not yet answered.
Though former President Donald Trump has announced limited sanctions relief to allow Iranian exports to China, Khamenei dismissed any notion of renewed talks, accusing Trump of seeking Iran’s unconditional surrender—an outcome he said will “never happen.”
Meanwhile, French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu revealed that French forces intercepted Iranian drones aimed at Israel during the 12-day conflict. Lecornu claimed Iran launched over 1,000 drones and 400 ballistic missiles, underscoring the unprecedented scale of the assault.
Though Tehran portrays the ceasefire as a triumph, Iran’s leadership is confronting internal unrest, strategic losses, and increasing international scrutiny. Khamenei’s fiery tone signals that while Iran remains combative and defiant, its leadership is also reckoning with the heavy toll of the conflict.
