Iran’s Supreme Leader made his first public statement following weeks of military confrontation, appearing notably weakened by the crisis. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s televised speech showed clear signs of strain, with the leader speaking with evident difficulty and occasionally stumbling over words.
The 86-year-old leader disputed American claims about obliterating Iran’s nuclear program while acknowledging that massive damage had occurred. International nuclear watchdog officials confirmed that US military strikes had caused considerable harm to Iranian atomic infrastructure using advanced bunker-buster technology.
Iran’s attack on American forces in Qatar was presented by Khamenei as evidence that Iran maintains regional strike capability despite the devastation. He characterized this action as both successful retaliation and warning that Iranian forces could target US interests throughout the Middle East.
The implementation of the ceasefire has allowed Iran to begin the process of recovery while maintaining its confrontational stance. The country has partially reopened its airspace and begun restoring civilian activities, though it faces enormous challenges in rebuilding its nuclear infrastructure.