Khamenei says Iran will strike back if US hits again in first remarks since ceasefire
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Iran's Khamenei Claims Victory Over Israel, US After Ceasefire
Above: A man holds a mobile phone displaying a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Image copyright: Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-Iran narrative
It's ironic that Khamenei claimed "victory" while hiding after vanishing for weeks amid fears of assassination and failing to reassure his own people. His boasts of power ring hollow after having first let his nuclear site get blown up, followed by a weak video response delivered from the shadows of a bunker.
Pro-Iran narrative
Critics mock Khamenei for speaking from a secure location, yet overlook what his message revealed: Iran, under siege, struck U.S. and Israeli assets and maintained unity. Far from hiding, Khamenei led a nation that endured assault without surrender, emerging ever more defiant.