Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made his first public statement today after declaring a ceasefire in the Israeli-Iranian conflict. In a video message broadcast on Iranian state television, Khamenei warned that any future aggression against Iran would be costly and stressed that the Islamic Republic's ability to potentially reach key US bases in the region was a significant achievement and that such actions could be repeated if aggression was renewed, the Associated Press and Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
In his video message, Khamenei said that the US would pay a "high price" if it attacked Iran again and warned that Tehran had "access to key US centers" in the region.
Khamenei had not appeared in public since he went into hiding after the conflict began on June 13, when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and carried out a series of attacks on senior military officers and nuclear scientists.
Following the massive US attack on June 22, in which Iranian nuclear facilities were hit with bunker-busting bombs, US President Donald Trump was able to help negotiate a ceasefire agreement that took effect on Tuesday.
Earlier today, in his first post on "Ex" since the ceasefire, Khamenei offered his "congratulations on the victory" over Israel and the US. Iran's supreme leader said his country had "slapped America in the face" and stressed that the US had achieved nothing from this war and that it had joined it because it believed that if it did not, Israel would be completely destroyed.
Khemeney nevertheless made a video message on June 19 during the war. Iranian state television and the Supreme Leader's own social media accounts had earlier announced that he would make a statement to all Iranians today.