Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for an unconditional Iranian surrender, declaring that neither war nor peace can be forced on the Islamic Republic.
In his first public remarks since Friday, Khamenei said, “Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender.” His statement was broadcast on Iranian state television on Wednesday.
Khamenei also warned Washington that any military action would bring “irreparable damage” to the United States, further escalating tensions amid growing fears of a wider regional conflict.
Meanwhile, panic spread through Tehran as thousands fled the capital following overnight airstrikes by Israeli warplanes. A U.S. official confirmed President Trump is reviewing potential military options, including coordinated strikes with Israel targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
