Summary: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared Wednesday that Iran’s recent military response to the U.S. and Israel demonstrated its growing deterrent power and ideological resolve. In a series of posts on X, Khamenei warned of the possibility of stronger retaliation and said the U.S. strike on Iran had been met with a “crushing” response.
What he said
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei praised Iran’s resistance during the recent Israel-Gaza conflict and directly criticized both the United States and Israel.
“The Iranian nation accomplished a great feat in the recent war imposed by the Zionists. This feat was a matter of determination. The very fact that a nation is ready to confront the power of the US and the Zionist regime carries immensely significant value.”
He reflected on Iran’s evolution since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, emphasizing a shift from fear to defiance in the face of U.S. power.
“Before Iran’s Islamic Revolution, just mentioning the US’s name frightened people, let alone engaging in an actual confrontation with them. Now the same nation has reached a point where it doesn’t fear the US. Rather, it frightens them and carries out whatever operations it can.”
Khamenei asserted that Iran has all the necessary tools — both military and diplomatic — to maintain its strength on the global stage.
“The Iranian nation will never be the weaker side in any field. This is because we have all the necessary tools. We possess both logic and strength in both diplomatic and military fields.”
He added that Iran would always enter any conflict — military or diplomatic — with full preparation.
“Whenever we enter a field, both diplomatic and military fields, we will enter well-equipped and completely prepared, God willing and with His grace.”
Justifying Iran’s response
Responding to criticism of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, Khamenei emphasized that Iran was not the aggressor and only responded after being attacked.
“Yes, we consider the Zionist regime to be like cancer, and we believe the US regime is a criminal for backing it. However, we weren’t seeking a war. But when the enemy attacked, our response was crushing.”
He defended the strength of Iran’s response, noting that Israel had to seek assistance from Washington as a result.
“We entered the war with strength. The proof for this is that the Zionist regime was compelled to turn to the US for help. If it had been capable of defending itself, it wouldn’t have turned to the US like that.”
A warning to the U.S.
Khamenei claimed that the United States launched an attack on Iran — which was followed by a powerful retaliatory strike that has yet to be fully disclosed.
“The US attacked Iran, and our retaliatory strike against it was very significant. God willing, once censorship is removed, it will become clear what Iran has truly done.”
He identified Al Udeid Air Base, a major U.S. installation in Qatar, as the target of that strike, and suggested Iran is capable of launching even more damaging attacks in the future.
“The center [Al Udeid Air Base] that was attacked by Iran was an extremely important US center in the region. The strike was a major blow, but it’s definitely possible to inflict an even greater blow on the US and others.”
Outlook
Khamenei’s latest remarks mark a significant escalation in rhetoric, portraying Iran as a confident regional power unafraid of either Israel or the United States. His emphasis on military capability, spiritual justification, and ideological resolve points to continued tension, and potentially more conflict, in the months ahead.
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