Iran Defeats Israel, US: Khamenei Declares Victory in Conflict
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made a loud statement congratulating the country’s people on their triumph over the Israeli regime and the United States after 12 days of highly productive fighting. His address, distributed on official networks, underscores significant changes in the regional and global arena, while confirming a new level of Iranian military and political self-confidence. In his speech, Khamenei noted that the July confrontation ended in a complete victory for the Islamic Revolution, and its military actions are aimed at exhausting and weakening its opponents: “I heartily congratulate you on your victory over the deceitful Zionist regime,” he said. “This regime has been defeated, and now its weakness is obvious to the whole world.” The leader also stressed that Iranian forces had dealt a serious blow to the American military presence in the region, in particular, they attacked one of the key bases - Al-Udeid Air Base, which is a strategic point for the United States in the Middle East. According to an official statement from the Iranian government, the victory came as a result of a prolonged conflict that lasted 12 days. This statement also emphasized that “the Zionist regime almost collapsed and was destroyed under the blows of the Islamic Republic.” The Iranian president and his military leadership emphasized that during this escalation they had achieved significant successes, in particular, destroying important infrastructure and strengthening their positions at the regional level. The background to the conflict is important for understanding its scale. On June 25, US President Donald Trump made an unexpected comparison, comparing the announcement of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Trump stressed that these actions contributed to the end of the war and the return of peace. He also announced that a meeting with Iranian representatives is planned for the coming week to discuss a potential “nuclear deal”, seeking a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in turn, stressed that after the US strikes, Tehran is actually significantly further away from implementing the project to create nuclear weapons. This indicates a sharp weakening of the Iranian nuclear program and strategies for protecting its interests in world politics. Overall, this conflict has become one of the most significant developments in regional security in recent years, with media statements claiming that Iran has once again risen in the status of a regional power and is demonstrating its ability to resist external aggression and creating the prerequisites for a new alignment of forces in the Middle East. Tehran's military successes have the potential to significantly change the balance of power, and further diplomacy remains in question, as the main goal of both sides is now to stabilize the situation and reach a compromise to prevent a new wave of violence.