Khamenei Says US Rushed To Help Israel, But Iran Struck Back Hard: ‘Severe Slap’

Last Updated:June 26, 2025, 16:46 IST

Khamenei made a series of remarks on the recent Israel-Iran conflict and claimed victory over Israel and said the US receieved a stern response from Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran, Iran. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on Thursday in his first public remarks since the declaration of the ceasefire of the Iran’s 12-day war with Israel said that the Iranian people dealt a “severe slap" to US who came to Israel’s “rescue".

Khamenei said that the US made no great achievement via its participation and only participated because it felt its ally Israel was on the verge of losing the conflict.

“My congratulations on our dear Iran’s victory over the US regime. The US regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing," Khamenei said, appearing to dismiss the chatter from the Trump administration following US B-2 bomber and missiles strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, with Fordow nuclear plant being targeted with “bunker-buster" GBU bombs.

“They attacked our nuclear facilities, which of course would merit criminal prosecution in international courts, but they did nothing significant," Khamenei said in a televised speech aired by state TV.

Both Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claim that Iran has now lost its capability of producing a nuclear bomb. Iran insists that its nuclear research is for peaceful purposes and told US and Israeli attacks have failed to dent its nuclear ambitions, as its knowhow remains intact.

Referring to US President Donald Trump, without naming him directly, Khamenei said he “exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration — anyone who has heard these words has understood that there is another truth behind these words".

“With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic," the Iranian Supreme leader said referring to the 12-day conflict where Israel and Iran launched missiles at each other. Israel eliminated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Commander (IRGC) chief Hossein Salami and several top nuclear scientists, along with top Iran army and IRGC officials.

Israel also claimed that its attacks sent Khamenei into hiding.

“I offer my congratulations on the victory over the fallacious Zionist regime," said Khamenei declaring victory over Israel. Iran says over 620 people were killed due to the war in Israeli missile strikes.

Tehran, Iran

News world Khamenei Says US Rushed To Help Israel, But Iran Struck Back Hard: ‘Severe Slap’