Iran’s aging Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, emerged from hiding on Thursday making his first public statement since June 19.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, 86-year-old, remarks came during a carefully staged broadcast on state television—his first public statement and appearance since June 19 and days after President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire that ended the 12-day conflict.
Khamenei, visibly more frail and fatigued than in previous speeches, attempted to spin the narrative in Tehran’s favor. He asserted that the U.S. only entered the conflict to prevent Israel from being, in his words, “utterly destroyed.”
But he quickly followed that up by claiming Washington “achieved no gains from this war,” despite the precision American strikes that obliterated Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities.
“The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America’s face,” Khamenei declared, referencing Iran’s weak missile attack on a U.S. base in Qatar earlier this week—a response that reportedly caused no casualties and appeared to be coordinated in advance to avoid serious repercussions.
Khamenei’s appearance was notable not only because he had vanished from public view since Israel’s June 13 preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, but also because his tone revealed more desperation than dominance.
Since the conflict began, Iran has lost critical infrastructure, top military commanders, and global standing—all while relying on propaganda to maintain internal control.
The United States, under President Trump’s leadership, responded forcefully with a decisive bombing campaign, including 14 bunker-busting bombs dropped from B-2 stealth bombers. Despite the ayatollah’s rhetoric, it was Trump—not Tehran—who ultimately dictated the terms of the ceasefire, bringing Iran and Israel to the table.
Khamenei, seated alone in front of dull brown curtains, echoed his June 19 appearance in both setting and sentiment—but this time his words rang hollow. With Iran’s economy in freefall and its leadership rattled, many see Khamenei’s speech as little more than damage control.
The so-called “hand slap” to America was more like a nervous bluff from a regime still reeling from precision American firepower and a foreign policy reset that reminds the world what U.S. strength looks like under Trump.