Khamenei Declares Victory from Bunker, Says Iran Defeated Israel in War

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, addressed the nation for the first time after the ceasefire in the Iran-Israel conflict. In his address, he congratulated the Iranian people on their victory and stated that Iran had "crushed the Zionist enemy.

Prior to this message, the American daily newspaper reported, citing Iranian officials, that Iranian security forces had moved Khamenei to a secure bunker in Tehran to protect him from potential Israeli and American strikes. It is believed that this message was delivered from within that bunker.

On 24 June, the Supreme Leader had said, “Those who know the Iranian people and their history know that Iran is not a nation that surrenders.” This was seen as a direct response to Donald Trump’s earlier threat demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender”. Khamenei added, “Because of all this chaos and the barrage of claims, the Zionist regime was practically uprooted and destroyed by the Islamic Republic's attacks.

U.S. Entered War Fearing Israel's Collapse: Khamenei

Khamenei claimed that the United States intervened in the war out of fear that Israel would be completely destroyed if left unaided. However, he asserted that the U.S. gained nothing from its involvement. “Here too”, he said, “the Islamic Republic had emerged victorious here as well and had dealt the US a devastating blow to its face.

Iran in 'Ready to Attack' Mode

Meanwhile, reports suggest that Iran remains in a “ready to attack” mode. The nation fears potential strikes on its military and nuclear units. Iranian military officials have already declared that they are fully prepared to respond to any future attacks.

These precautions come amid reports from Western media suggesting that Iran’s nuclear programme has not been entirely dismantled and may be revived. Additionally, some Israeli officials have hinted at the possibility of launching further strikes against Iran.