Iran Emerges Victorious in Conflict, Declares Supreme Leader Khamenei After Ceasefire Against Israel and the U.S.
In a Post-Conflict Reaction, Khamenei Throws Shade
After the temporary truce between Israel and Iran, the Ayatollah Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, shook the world with his statements. On his social media, he declared, "Despite the noise, despite their arrogance, the Zionist regime was almost toppled and crushed by the blows of the Islamic Republic of Iran." He also threatened to bomb American bases again if Iran's territory is attacked.
In a series of posts, Khamenei, 86, pointed fingers at US President Donald Trump and claimed, "The Islamic Republic of Iran slapped the US in the face: it attacked one of the most crucial US bases in the region, Al-Udeid, causing some damage." In his heated tirade, he said, "US President said that 'Iran must surrender.' Of course, those are grandiose words for the mouth of the US President."
Khamenei warned, "In case of aggression, the cost for the enemy will certainly be high." He echoed his threats in another post, saying, "I congratulate the victory of our beloved Iran over the US regime. The US regime entered into direct war because it felt that, if it did not, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed, but its intervention achieved nothing."
During the 12-day-long conflict, Khamenei stayed hidden in a secret location while Israeli forces bombarded Tehran, awaiting US intervention. He addressed his nation via video message on June 19, right in the middle of the war.
One day after the ceasefire, the focus shifted back to the nuclear program of the Ayatollah regime. On June 22, the Trump administration made massive attacks on three Iranian facilities with bunker-buster bombs. The truce took effect on Tuesday.
Now, after the ceasefire, Khamenei offered his "congratulations on the victory" over Israel. He thanked God for helping Iran's armed forces pierce Israel's multi-layered defenses and devastate numerous urban and military areas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed himself on social media, saying that he will continue working with Trump to "defeat common enemies, free hostages, and rapidly expand the circle of peace." Netanyahu posted his message with a photo of him and Trump holding hands minutes after Khamenei delivered his first speech since the ceasefire.
Netanyahu's Take"Thank you President Trump for your heartfelt support in me and your steadfast support for Israel and the Jewish people. We will continue to work together to defeat our common enemies, free our captives, and quickly expand the circle of peace." - Netanyahu
The Nuclear Threat Remains
The ceasefire shone a light back on the unresolved matter that sparked the military escalation: Iran's nuclear program. From The Hague, Trump attempted to quash doubts about the effectiveness of the strike on three Iranian facilities, but media reports revealed a Pentagon intelligence assessment stating the bombing had merely delayed the plan by a couple of months.
Trump asserted, "I don't want to use the example of Hiroshima. Nor that of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing that ended that war. This ended the war. If we hadn't eliminated them, they would be fighting right now." The exact extent of the program's setback remains debated between U.S., Israeli, and independent assessments, with ongoing monitoring by the IAEA pending renewed site access.
In the aftermath of the ceasefire, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, offered congratulations on the victory over Israel and expressed gratitude to God for aiding Iran's armed forces in breaching Israel's defenses. Concurrently, the unresolved issue of Iran's nuclear program reemerged, with President Trump attempting to dispel concerns about the effectiveness of the strike on three Iranian facilities, despite Pentagon intel suggesting a delay of only a few months.
