Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Thursday night delivered a blistering broadside against the United States and Israel, accusing the allies of committing global crimes and claiming Tehran emerged victorious from the 12-day conflict in June.
"The Zionist regime's attacks on Lebanon, its aggressions against Syria, and its crimes in the West Bank and Gaza are all carried out with the U.S.' backing. And due to these actions, the U.S. has truly become despised," Khamenei said in a televised address.
Regarding the war against Hamas — which he called "one of the most significant tragedies in the history of our region"— Khamenei asserted that "the Zionist regime has been severely disgraced. And the U.S. stands beside that oppressive regime in its infamy and disgrace.
"People around the world know that if the U.S. hadn't been involved, the Zionist regime wouldn't have been capable of committing such extensive atrocities in Gaza," he added.
Addressing the aerial conflict in June, Khamenei claimed the United States and Israel suffered losses "far greater than the material damage inflicted on our country.
"According to some accounts, the Zionist regime had planned and prepared for this war for 20 years. There were 20 years of planning to start a war in Iran and to incite the people so they would fight the system. But the situation turned against them, and they failed," he said.
"In the 12-Day War, the U.S. and the Zionist regime came and perpetrated malicious acts. They took a beating and left empty-handed. That is, they didn't achieve any of their objectives.
"We suffered losses in the 12-Day War. We lost precious lives; there's no doubt about that. That's the nature of war. But the Islamic Republic showed that it is a center of determination and power. It is capable of making decisions and standing firmly.
"In the 12-Day War, the Iranian nation undeniably defeated both the U.S. and the Zionists," Khamenei said.
Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that his country is "prepared for any scenario" in the wake of the conflict with Israel. Tehran expects "hostile behavior from the Zionist regime. We are at the apex of preparedness at all levels. Israel will suffer another defeat in any future war.
"We have gained a lot of experience from the recent war and tested our missiles in a real battle," Araghchi continued. "If the Zionist regime launches an attack, it will come with dire consequences for it."
The top diplomat stated that while the Islamic Republic is prepared to engage in talks about its nuclear ambitions, its missile program is not up for discussion.
"We are ready to talk to address concerns about our nuclear program. We emphasize the peaceful nature of our nuclear program. It is possible to reach a fair agreement, but Washington has set impossible and unacceptable preconditions," Araghchi said.
He added, "There will be no negotiations on our missile program. It would be foolish if one hands over his weapons."
The 10-year nuclear deal between Iran and world powers expired Oct. 18, with Tehran announcing it is no longer bound by the 2015 agreement. Under the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), financial sanctions on Iran were lifted in return for promised limitations on its nuclear program.
Since the war, which also saw the U.S. bomb Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on June 21, Tehran has refused to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations' nuclear watchdog.
This prompted the United Nations, led by Britain, France, and Germany, to, on Sept. 27, reimpose international sanctions on Iran under the "snapback" mechanism built into the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal. The mechanism restored restrictions on arms transfers, missile technology and sensitive financial dealings.
This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.