Egypt Daily News – Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared what he called a “clear victory” for Iran over both the United States and Israel following recent military confrontations, delivering a strongly worded televised speech following the announcement of a ceasefire between Tehran and Tel Aviv.
Khamenei mocked U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent call for Iran to surrender unconditionally, stating, “Such a demand is larger than the stature of the American president himself. Iran, with its long and proud history, will never accept to be addressed in this way.”
He went on to say: “I congratulate our victory over America, which entered the war because it felt that the Zionist regime was on the verge of total collapse.” Khamenei claimed that Washington had failed to achieve anything significant through its military intervention. “We won, and we delivered a harsh blow to America—one that the entire world witnessed,” he added.
The Supreme Leader emphasized Iran’s ability to strike U.S. assets in the region, particularly the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, describing it as one of the most important American military facilities in the Middle East. He claimed the attack inflicted damage, stating it was “a powerful slap to the United States” and a demonstration of Iran’s reach and capability to respond whenever it deems necessary.
“This event can be repeated in the future,” Khamenei warned, adding that any aggression against Iran will come at a high cost to its enemies.
Addressing the Israeli side, Khamenei described the conflict as a humiliating defeat for the “fake Zionist entity,” claiming that Israel “was crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic.” He credited Iran’s armed forces with penetrating Israel’s advanced, multilayered defenses and striking both military and civilian targets with missiles and advanced weaponry.
He also praised the Iranian people for their unity and support during the conflict, saying the nation’s near-90 million citizens stood “shoulder to shoulder” in support of the country’s armed forces and leadership.
In a lengthy section of the speech, Khamenei dismissed America’s long-standing criticisms of Iran over human rights, democracy, nuclear activities, and missile development as mere excuses. He insisted that the true U.S. aim is Iran’s complete surrender, a goal he claimed America has failed to hide under the current administration.
“The essence of their conflict with us is that they want Iran to surrender,” he said. “This is no longer about nuclear enrichment or missile programs. They want submission—and that will never happen.”
He concluded by reinforcing Iran’s cultural and civilizational strength, declaring, “Iran is a great nation with a rich heritage. The very idea that it would submit to another country is laughable.”
Khamenei also commemorated the “martyrs” of recent clashes, especially commanders and scientists he said had sacrificed greatly for the country, and prayed for divine support in preserving the nation’s dignity and strength.
His remarks mark the first official statement from Iran’s top leader following the ceasefire, casting recent events not as a military standoff but as a symbolic triumph over two of Iran’s most prominent adversaries: the United States and Israel.
