Khamenei Breaks Silence After Ceasefire

In his first remarks after the recent ceasefire in the Iran-Israel conflict, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the “great nation of Iran” for what he called its “victory over the false Zionist regime.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated on Thursday that his country had given the United States a strong response by attacking an American military base in Qatar. He cautioned that any more attacks from the US would not be tolerated. This was his first public statement since a ceasefire was announced in the conflict with Israel after 12 days of fighting.

Concerns are growing in Iran as people notice that Mr. Khamenei, the country’s top leader who makes important decisions, has not been seen or heard from in a week. This absence is causing a lot of worry among the public.

Catch the live updates on the issue here – Iran’s supreme leader says country “crushed” Israel.

Victory Claims Despite Nuclear Damage

“Despite all the commotion and numerous claims, the Israeli government nearly fell apart and faced serious challenges from the Islamic Republic,” he reportedly said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. “The United States got directly involved in the conflict because it believed that without its help, the Israeli government would be destroyed. However, the U.S. didn’t achieve anything from this involvement.”

Rafael Grossi, the head of the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency, stated on Thursday that the damage caused by Israeli and US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites is significant and profound.

“I believe calling it ‘annihilated’ is exaggerating, but it did experience a lot of damage,” Grossi said in an interview with the French broadcaster RFI.

On Wednesday, Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, acknowledged that their nuclear facilities have suffered significant damage.

Attack on US Base and Threats

He stated that missile attacks from Iran on the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar resulted in “some damage.” He also cautioned that Iran might “take action again” if needed.

“The Islamic Republic achieved a victory and, in response, struck back at the United States,” he stated, referring to a recent missile attack by Iran on a US military base in Qatar. Fortunately, all the rockets were intercepted, and no injuries were reported.

He stated that his country’s attack on the US base in Qatar on Monday is important because it demonstrates that Iran “can reach key US locations in the area and can respond whenever it feels it’s necessary.”

“If any acts of aggression happen, the opposing side will face serious consequences,” he stated.

Trump’s Surrender Demands

“Trump clearly expressed that the only way to satisfy Americans regarding Iran is through its complete surrender and defeat.” He was referencing a social media post from last week where President Donald Trump called for the Islamic Republic to surrender unconditionally.

He stated that the U.S. has had a major issue with the Iranian regime since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He noted that over the years, Washington has disguised its true intentions by criticizing Iran on human rights, women’s rights, nuclear activities, and missile production.

“In his statement, he made something very clear; he showed what he truly believes,” he said, talking about Trump. “Other presidents didn’t express these thoughts because it’s not right; asking a whole country to give up is both unreasonable and makes no sense.”

Parliament Suspends Nuclear Cooperation

Iran’s parliament has passed a new law to stop working with the United Nations’ nuclear oversight agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). According to reports from Iranian state media, all the parliamentarians supported this decision.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, criticized the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for not condemning the recent attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities. He claimed that the agency has put its reputation on the line by failing to take a stand.

The head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization announced that the country will stop working with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) until it can ensure the safety of its nuclear sites.

“Iran maintains that it has the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, as outlined in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Article 4, and it is determined to defend this right.“

Casualty Figures

Tehran reported that 606 people have died and 5,332 have been injured in the ongoing conflict in Iran. Meanwhile, the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group shared their own numbers, indicating that Israeli airstrikes in Iran have resulted in at least 1,054 deaths and 4,476 injuries.

A group has reported that out of the total deaths, 417 were civilians and 318 were members of the security forces. In Israel, at least 28 people have lost their lives, and over 1,000 others have been injured, based on information from officials.

Return to Normalcy and Future Talks

Since the ceasefire, everyday life in Iran has slowly returned to normal. Last Thursday, the country partially reopened its airspace, which had been closed due to the recent conflict. Shops in the capital city of Tehran started welcoming customers again, and people began to fill the streets with traffic once more.

Trump has claimed that officials from the United States and Iran will have discussions next week, which brings some hope for lasting peace between the two countries.

Iran has not confirmed that any talks are happening. However, Steve Witkoff, the US envoy for the Middle East, mentioned that there have been discussions between the two countries, both directly and indirectly.