Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Iran dealt the United States and Israel a clear defeat during the 12-day war in June, despite both deploying advanced weapons, submarines, and fighter jets. He said Israel had planned the conflict for two decades in hopes of turning the public against the Iranian system, but the opposite happened as national unity grew and the attackers failed to reach any of their goals. Ayatollah Khamenei added that Iran suffered losses, including the deaths of high-ranking commanders and scientists, yet the material damage inflicted on the United States and Israel was far greater.

He described how Israel began the conflict with assassinations inside Iran, followed by US strikes on three nuclear sites that violated the UN Charter and the NPT. Iran responded by targeting strategic locations across the occupied territories and the al-Udeid air base in Qatar, forcing a halt to the assault by June 24. Ayatollah Khamenei linked this confrontation to what he called the broader disgrace of Israel due to war on Ga-za, saying US support for Israeli genocide had damaged Washington’s global image. He also pointed to US interventions elsewhere; in Ukraine, Lebanon, Syria, and Latin America, as examples of policies that bring instability, exploitation, and conflict.

Ayatollah Khamenei rejected claims that Iran had reached out to the United States through intermediaries and said Washington’s backing of Israel, its pressure on countries like Venezuela, and its global military posture showed why Iran does not seek cooperation with the US. He highlighted the role of resistance movements and said the Basij embodies a broad national force capable of confronting threats in military, economic, industrial, and technological fields. Ayatollah Khamenei urged Iranians to preserve unity, support the administration, and continue unfinished national projects, saying the cohesion seen during the 12-day war remains essential to the country’s strength.