 "Khamenei rebuffs Trump’s demand for surrender, warns of “irreparable damage” from US intervention Reuters/File Photo")
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s demand for an unconditional surrender, asserting that the Iranian people would never yield under pressure or threat.
“The Iranian nation is not one to surrender, and any military intervention on their part will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage,” Khamenei said during a nationally televised address, only his second public appearance since Israel launched attacks on Iran last week.
Khamenei cautioned against aggressive rhetoric, saying, “Those who are wise and familiar with Iran, its people and its history never speak to this nation in the language of threats.”
In a post on X, he said, “The US President threatens us. With his absurd rhetoric, he demands that the Iranian people surrender to him. They should make threats against those who are afraid of being threatened. The Iranian nation isn’t frightened by such threats.”
His remarks came a day after Trump, speaking on Truth Social, described Khamenei as “an easy target” and reiterated his call for “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”
In his address, Khamenei doubled down on Iran’s defiance, warning that any US military action would carry severe consequences.
Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran on Wednesday after Israeli warplanes bombed the city overnight, and a source said Trump was considering options that include joining Israel in attacking Iranian nuclear sites.
Israel’s military said 50 Israeli jets had struck around 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles.
Iran had conveyed to Washington that it would retaliate against the United States for any direct participation, its ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said. He said he already saw the U.S. as “complicit in what Israel is doing”.
With inputs from agencies