DUBAI, United Arab Emirates. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei resurfaced Thursday with a warning against further U.S. attacks, declaring that Iran had “slapped America’s face” with a missile strike on a U.S. air base in Qatar. The statement marked his first public appearance since Iran agreed to a ceasefire with Israel following weeks of conflict.
In a prerecorded speech aired on state television, Khamenei downplayed the impact of U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of “complete obliteration” exaggerated. “They could not achieve anything significant,” he said, without offering updates on the condition of Iran’s nuclear program or the status of its centrifuges.
Khamenei, 86, appeared visibly tired and spoke in a hoarse voice as he addressed Iran’s long-time adversaries, the United States and Israel. He claimed the retaliatory strike on the U.S. base in Qatar demonstrated Iran’s ability to hit key American targets in the region. “This action can be repeated in the future,” he warned.
The White House dismissed Khamenei’s comments as an attempt to “save face.” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday, “Any commonsense, open-minded person knows the truth about the precision strikes on Saturday night. They were wildly successful.”
The U.S. strikes, which involved bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles, targeted three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday. Rafael Grossi, director of the U.N. nuclear watchdog IAEA, confirmed the damage was “very, very, very considerable” and assumed that centrifuges were no longer operational, although the agency has not been allowed to inspect the sites.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei admitted Wednesday that the country’s nuclear installations had suffered severe damage.
Khamenei had not been seen publicly since taking shelter on June 13, when Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and high-ranking officials. The ceasefire, which took effect Tuesday, followed heavy losses on both sides.
According to Iranian officials, 606 people were killed and 5,332 were wounded during the conflict. However, the Human Rights Activists group based in Washington reported higher figures, saying at least 1,054 Iranians were killed, including 417 civilians and 318 members of the security forces.
Israel reported 28 deaths and over 1,000 wounded. Officials said Iran fired more than 550 missiles during the 12-day conflict, 90% of which were intercepted. Israel claimed it struck over 720 Iranian military targets and eight nuclear-related sites.
Iran partially reopened its airspace on Thursday, resuming domestic and international flights over the eastern region. Shops in Tehran also began to reopen as traffic returned to the streets.
Trump has said that U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to engage in talks next week, raising hopes for longer-term peace. Iran has not confirmed any negotiations, although U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff acknowledged direct and indirect contact between the two nations. A planned sixth round of talks earlier this month in Oman was canceled after the Israeli strikes.
Iranian lawmakers voted Wednesday to fast-track a bill that would curtail cooperation with the IAEA, signaling that the country remains committed to its nuclear ambitions.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
