Defiant khamenei hails ‘victory’ downplays impact of u s strikes

Defiant khamenei hails ‘victory’ downplays impact of u s strikes

In his first appearance since the ceasefire, Iran’s Supreme Leader says his country ‘dealt a severe slap to the face of America’; Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has hailed a ‘historic victory’; Trump says U.S. and Iranian officials will meet next week.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday said U.S. President Donald Trump “exaggerated” the impact of American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, in his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel took hold.

In a statement and a televised speech carried by state media, he hailed his country’s “victory” over Israel and vowed never to surrender to the United States, while claiming that Washington had been dealt a “slap” after striking Iranian nuclear sites.

Mr. Khamenei’s remarks come two days after a ceasefire ended a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, the foes’ deadliest and most destructive confrontation in history.

“The American President exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,” Mr. Khamenei said.

The U.S. “has gained nothing from this war,” he said, adding that American strikes “did nothing significant” to Iran’s nuclear facilities. “The Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America,” he said, a reference to Iran’s missile launch targeting the largest U.S. base in Qatar and Iraq.

“I want to congratulate the great Iranian nation... for its victory over the fallacious Zionist regime,” he added, claiming that Israel had “almost collapsed” because of Iran’s strikes.

Both Iran and Israel had already claimed they won, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing on Tuesday a “historic victory” for Israel.

The Israeli military said it had delivered a “significant” blow to Iran’s nuclear sites but that it was “still early” to fully assess the damage.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that “nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure”.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump said American and Iranian officials will talk next week, giving rise to cautious hope for longer-term peace.

“We may sign an agreement, I don’t know,” Mr. Trump said. “The way I look at it, they fought, the war is done.”