Iran’s Supreme Leader Claims 'Victory Over Israel, US'

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei congratulated the people of Iran for what he called a "decisive victory" over the US and Israel during the 12-Day War in posts on X/Twitter, and a recorded message released on Thrursday.

"I deem it necessary to extend a few congratulations to the great nation of Iran: First, congratulations on the victory over the fake Zionist regime. With all that clamor, with all those claims, the Zionist regime, under the blows of the Islamic Republic, has almost collapsed and been crushed," he said.

He also said that the US got involved in the war because it was afraid that Israel would be destroyed without its assistance.

According to Khamenei, the US gained nothing from the war and also received a "slap in the face."

The ayatollah added that Iran "can take action whenever it deems necessary" and warned enemies that if any further aggression occurred, they would "pay a heavy price."

In his recorded message, Khamenei further mitigated the effects of the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. He further stated that the strikes on US bases in Qatar was a "great thing' and could happen in the future.

His posts come following a two-week disappearance from the public eye, after Khamenei relocated to a hidden location, fearing Israeli assassination attempts.

Ayatollah's silence unsettles public, political commentators

Questions about Khamenei were asked during a widely viewed broadcast on Iranian state television, where the host asked Mehdi Fazaeli, head of Khamenei’s office, what many Iranians had been wondering, the New York Times noted.

“People are very worried about the supreme leader,” the host remarked, noting a flood of viewer messages asking the same thing. However, Fazaeli did not provide a clear answer. Instead, he shared that even officials had been inquiring about the leader's condition, especially following the recent military strikes by Israel and the United States.

Sanam Vakil, director for the Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House, noted that the supreme leader’s prolonged absence signals heightened caution among Iran’s security forces.

“If we don’t see Khamenei by Ashura,” she said, referring to a significant religious event for Shiite Muslims in early July, “that is a bad sign. He has to show his face.”

The ayatollah's absence is believed to be due to his sheltering in a bunker and avoiding electronic communication to prevent assassination attempts, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.