Iran’s ayatollah claims ‘victory’ over Israel in first public appearance since ceasefire deal

Published connected 26/06/2025 - 12:58 GMT+2•Updated 13:54

Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said his state emerged victorious complete Israel and “delivered a slap to America’s face” connected Thursday.

The reside successful a video broadcast marked Khamenei's first nationalist comments since a US-brokered ceasefire was declared betwixt nan 2 countries pursuing 12 days of conflict.

He told viewers that Washington had only intervened successful nan fighting because “it felt that if it did not intervene, nan (Israeli) authorities would beryllium utterly destroyed.”

Khamenei said that nan US “achieved nary gains from this war."

“The Islamic Republic was victorious and, successful retaliation, delivered a slap to America’s face,” he said, successful evident reference to an Iranian rocket onslaught connected a US guidelines successful Qatar connected Monday, which resulted successful each rockets neutralised and nary casualties.

Khamenei has not been seen successful nationalist since reportedly taking shelter successful a concealed location aft nan outbreak of nan conflict connected 13 June, erstwhile Israel struck aggregate subject targets and atomic accommodation successful Iran.

Following a monolithic US bombing onslaught past Sunday that struck Iran's main atomic facility, Fordow, pinch bunker-buster bombs, Washington and President Donald Trump negotiated a ceasefire that came into effect connected Tuesday.

Khamenei did merchandise a video connection past Sunday astatine nan tallness of nan conflict, and state-run media outlets announced he would make an quality successful a video connection to his compatriots connected Thursday.

The ayatollah besides congratulated Iran "on nan victory" complete Israel successful a station connected X.

Foreign ministry official: US bombs 'destroyed diplomacy'

Khamenei's reside came a time aft Iran’s parliament approved a measure to suspend practice pinch nan UN’s atomic watchdog, arsenic politicians unanimously supported nan move against nan International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), according to Iranian authorities media.

The bill, which states that nan Supreme National Security Council must authorise immoderate early IAEA inspection, will request to beryllium approved by nan unelected Guardian Council to go law.

“The International Atomic Energy Agency, which refused to moreover marginally condemn nan onslaught connected Iran’s atomic facilities, put its world credibility up for auction,” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said connected authorities television.

“The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran will suspend its practice pinch nan IAEA until nan information of our atomic accommodation is guaranteed,” he added.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated connected Thursday greeting that Tehran has a "right" to atomic power for serene purposes.

"Iran has nan afloat correct nether Article 4 of nan Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to usage atomic power for serene purposes, and it is wished to uphold that correct nether immoderate circumstances," Baghaei said.

The US "must beryllium held accountable for nan aggression it committed against Iran successful collusion pinch Israel," he added, claiming that nan bunker buster strikes "destroyed diplomacy".