 "Trump accuses Khamenei of ingratitude after claiming to prevent assassination")
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday stated that he had prevented an alleged assassination attempt against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while criticizing the leader for what he described as a lack of gratitude.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump strongly criticized Tehran’s claims of having prevailed in its conflict with Israel and announced a halt to discussions on potential sanctions relief.
He warned that the United States would consider further military action if Iran continued efforts to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels following earlier U.S. airstrikes.
Trump also responded to a statement from Khamenei, who said that reports of significant damage to Iran’s nuclear sites were overstated and asserted that Iran had resisted both Israel and the United States effectively.
The U.S. president interpreted Khamenei’s remarks as dismissive and reiterated his willingness to authorize additional strikes if needed.
Trump posted: “I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life.”
“I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, “THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'”
Trump said that he had been working in recent days on the possible removal of sanctions against Iran, one of Tehran’s long-term demands.
“But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,” Trump added, exhorting Iran to return to the negotiating table.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIran’s foreign minister on Wednesday denied it is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States, after Trump said at a NATO summit in The Hague that negotiations were set to begin again next week.
‘Beat to hell’
Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff had expressed hope “for a comprehensive peace agreement.”
Asked earlier in a White House press conference whether he would consider fresh air strikes if last week’s sorties were not successful in ending Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump said: “Sure. Without question. Absolutely.”
Trump added that Khamenei and Iran “got beat to hell” in the hostilities involving the United States and Israel and that “it was a great time to end it.”
He had said during the press conference that he would be “putting out a little statement” on Khamenei’s comments, which appeared to be the Truth Social post.
In the post, he accused Khamenei of “blatantly and foolishly” saying Iran won the 12-day war with Israel, adding: “As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie.”
The war of words come as a fragile ceasefire holds in the conflict between Israel and Iran.
Speculation had however swirled about the fate of Khamenei.
In a televised speech on Thursday – his first appearance since the ceasefire – Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran’s “victory” over Israel, vowed never to yield to US pressure and insisted Washington had been dealt a humiliating “slap”.
“The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,” Khamenei said, rejecting Trump’s claims Iran’s nuclear program had been set back by decades.
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