Iran is “ready” to respond to any renewed military action against it and has the capabilities to deal “even bigger blows” to the United States and other militaries, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Wednesday.
The Islamic Republic “not only does not fear America—it instills fear in it,” Khamenei declared, speaking to the country’s judiciary officials in his second public appearance since the June 13-24 war with Israel.
“Although we consider the Zionist regime [Israel] a cancer and the U.S. a criminal due to its support of that regime, we did not seek war,” he said. “Yet whenever the enemy attacked, our response was forceful and firm.”
Israel was “brought to its knees” by Iran and “desperately turned to the U.S.” to strike the regime’s key nuclear facilities on June 22, Khamenei claimed, adding that Jerusalem “realized it cannot handle” Tehran.
The Iranian supreme leader described Tehran’s counterattack to the U.S. airstrikes as “significant,” adding that “once media censorship is lifted, it will become clear how great a blow Iran delivered.” He added: “Of course, even bigger blows could be dealt to the U.S. and others.”
Tehran “possesses all necessary tools, from logic to military power—and whether on the battlefield of diplomacy or in military conflict, we will enter, Allah willing, from a position of strength,” Khamenei stated.
Jerusalem’s June 13 opening strikes in the Islamic Republic wiped out Tehran’s top military command, including the chief of staff of its army, with more officials killed during the subsequent 12 days of fighting.
After the United States joined the war, striking the Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear sites on June 22, Iran launched 14 missiles at the U.S. military’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Doha said it downed 13 of the projectiles and that the Iranian attack resulted in no casualties.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Britain agreed in a phone call on Monday that they would give Tehran until the end of August to reach a new nuclear deal, Israel’s Channel 12 News outlet reported on Wednesday, citing three sources.
The report came a day after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told Reuters that Paris, Berlin and London would activate the snapback mechanism by the end of August if no concrete progress has been made.
Reimposition of the U.N. sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program will lead to an “appropriate and proportionate response,” the Iranian regime warned earlier this week.
“The threat to use the snapback mechanism lacks legal and political basis and will be met with an appropriate and proportionate response from the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Reuters quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying at a press conference.
