Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei has declared a “decisive victory” over the U.S. and Israel, signalling a “new phase” in Tehran’s control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
He made the statement in a televised address on Thursday marking the 40th day since the killing of his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, in Israeli–U.S. air raids on 28 February.
Iran is “waiting for an appropriate response from southern neighbours to demonstrate its brotherhood and goodwill,” he said, following Tehran’s missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the region.
Ayatollah Khamenei also said Tehran was resolute in avenging the late leader and those killed in the war, adding that Iran was determined to seek retribution for attacks against it.
He stressed that Iran would not relinquish its rights, referring to the country’s civilian nuclear programme and ballistic missile capability.
As a fragile ceasefire between Iran, the U.S., and Israel entered its third day after 39 days of fighting, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned Washington against allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “kill diplomacy”.
In a post on X, he said that if the U.S. allowed the Israeli premier to "kill diplomacy, that would ultimately be its choice. We think that would be dumb but are prepared for it."
"Netanyahu's criminal trial resumes on Sun(day). A region-wide ceasefire, incl(uding) in Lebanon, would hasten his jailing," Iran’s top diplomat added.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also warned that "time is running out", stressing that Lebanon and the "resistance axis" are "inseparable" parts of the ceasefire.
"Lebanon and the entire Resistance Axis, as Iran’s allies, form an inseparable part of the ceasefire," the state-owned IRNA news agency quoted him as tweeting on X.
"Extinguish the fire immediately,” he added, referring to continued Israeli bombing of Lebanon, and warning that “Ceasefire violations carry explicit costs and STRONG responses.”
“(Pakistan’s) PM Shehbaz Sharif publicly and clearly stressed the Lebanon issue; there is no room for denial and backtracking,” said the speaker, who is reportedly set to lead the Iranian delegation in upcoming talks with the U.S. in Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, in a meeting with UN Special Envoy for the Middle East Jean Arnault in Tehran, criticised the world body’s failure to condemn the Israeli–U.S. war on Iran.
“Iran opposes any temporary settlement of the current situation that would repeat the cycle of negotiations, war, and ceasefire.”
“Only the option of a sustainable end to the war, holding aggressors accountable, and compensation for damages can be considered,” the senior Iranian diplomat said, according to the Foreign Ministry.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
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