Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that Iran is “not a nation that surrenders,” hours before a US-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel was set to take effect.
The statement, issued on Khamenei’s official X account, came shortly after Iran launched a missile strike on a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for American airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities. The escalation marked a significant turning point in the conflict that began with Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this month.
“Those who know the Iranian people and their history know that the Iranian nation isn’t a nation that surrenders,” Khamenei posted, emphasizing Iran’s resolve amid rising regional tensions.
Khamenei’s comments were posted just before US President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that a “complete and total ceasefire” had been reached between Iran and Israel. Trump said the ceasefire would be phased in over 24 hours, beginning with an Iranian halt to operations within six hours of the announcement.
The New York Times reported last week that the 86-year-old Supreme Leader has been operating from a secure underground facility since Israel launched its offensive on June 13. According to the report, Khamenei has limited electronic communications and relays messages to military commanders through a trusted aide. Fearing possible assassination, he has also preemptively appointed successors within Iran’s military hierarchy.
The conflict, which erupted on June 13 after Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iranian targets, has claimed a heavy toll. According to a human rights organization cited by the Associated Press, Israeli airstrikes have so far killed at least 950 people and wounded more than 3,450 inside Iran.
