Iran’s Supreme Leader Breaks Silence After Israel-Iran Ceasefire, Warns U.S. of Heavy Price for Further Aggression

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public statement on Thursday since a ceasefire was declared in the Israel-Iran war, issuing a stern warning to the United States and asserting Iran’s position of strength.

In a nationally televised address, Khamenei warned that the U.S. “will definitely pay a heavy price” if it launches further attacks against lran. His comments came after U.S. forces struck three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday using bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles. In retaliation, lran launched a missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday, which resulted in no casualties.

Khamenei cautioned that such retaliatory actions could recur, adding, “lran has access to key U.S. centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary.”

In his televised remarks, Khamenei claimed victory over Israel and declared that “The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America’s face.” He criticized the U.S. intervention in the war, asserting that Washington only got involved to prevent the collapse of the “Zionist regime.” However, he maintained, “The U.S. achieved no gains from this war.”

The 86-year-old Supreme Leader, who had not been seen in public since June 13—when lran went into crisis mode following Israeli strikes on its nuclear facilities—appeared visibly tired during the address, seated in front of plain brown curtains. His last public appearance was on June 19, before going into hiding amid escalating regional tensions.

The recent conflict began after Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure and high-ranking officials. The situation intensified further with the U.S. strike on June 22, prompting a diplomatic effort led by President Donald Trump, who brokered a ceasefire agreement effective Tuesday.

This marked Khamenei’s first direct communication with the public since the ceasefire, signaling both Iran’s readiness for future confrontations and its framing of the conflict as a strategic win.

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