Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in his first public statement Thursday after the end of the Israel-Iran conflict, said that the Islamic Republic delivered a heavy slap to the US’s face. It attacked and inflicted damage on the Al-Udeid Air Base, which is one of the key US bases in the region.
Khamenei has taken shelter in a secret location during the 12-day war as Israeli forces pounded Tehran before the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities.
Khamenei claimed victory over Israel and US in his address.
"I offer my congratulations on the victory over the fallacious Zionist regime...My congratulations on our dear Iran’s victory over the US regime. The US regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing," he said.
"With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic," Khamenei added.
In his first video broadcast on Iranian state television since June 19, Khamenei warned US and said it would pay heavy price to its future aggression.
"The fact that the Islamic Republic has access to key US centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary is a significant matter. Such an action can be repeated in the future too. Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price," he said.
