Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are "safe and sound" after the United States and Israel launched a joint operation against the regime, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei.
Baghaei made the remarks during a Saturday interview with ABC News Live, addressing reports of Israeli military action targeting senior Iranian officials.
Earlier Saturday, Israel announced it had "eliminated ... several senior officials" inside Iran but did not release additional details regarding the identities of those targeted.
Meanwhile, Israel's N12 News initially reported that the Israeli government believes Khamenei is dead following the strikes, the first of which reportedly hit near the 86-year-old's offices.
According to a translated update from N12 citing a senior Israeli official, Israeli leaders have assessed that Khamenei is "no longer with us" after the bilateral coordinated strikes against the Iranian regime.
In his interview with ABC, Baghaei sharply criticized ongoing diplomatic efforts, suggesting Tehran's trust had been undermined.
"Diplomacy was betrayed for the second time during the last nine months," he told ABC. "We came to these negotiations with all good faith and seriousness."
Addressing long-standing concerns over Iran's nuclear ambitions, Baghaei dismissed the accusations as politically motivated.
He said reports of rebuilding Iran's nuclear program were part of a "disinformation campaign" against Iran.
"Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons," Baghaei said.
He said Tehran has been striking other Gulf countries because the U.S. is using their territories to launch its attack against Iran.
"This is a war of choice by the American administration," Baghaei said. "We are defending ourselves."
In a video announcing the "major combat operations," Trump told Iranians, "When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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