&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'US strike will have serious consequences': Khamenei says 'Iran will not surrender' in first address after Israel's strike - Here's what he said")
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday (June 18) addressed the nation via a televised address, first after Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear facilities on Friday.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said, “The Zionist regime has committed a serious mistake and must prepare to face the consequences. Iran will neither forgive the breach of its airspace nor forget the blood of its martyrs.”
"They should know that Iran will not surrender and any US strike will have serious, irreparable consequences," he said.
He said that "wise people who know Iran, its people, and its history never speak to this nation in the language of threats, because Iranians are not those who surrender".
“The Iranian nation will stand firm against an imposed war, just as it will stand firm against an imposed peace, and this nation will not surrender to anyone in the face of imposition,” Tasnim news agency quotes him as saying.
Also read: 'Not going to kill Khamenei, for now': Trump warns US knows where Iran’s Supreme Leader is hiding
Trending Stories
Khamenei's statement comes after US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (17 June) demanded a 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER' and claimed that the United States knows the exact location of Khamenei but will not kill him, at least for now.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Multiple media reports circulating online claimed that Trump had recently turned down an Israeli proposal to assassinate Ayatollah Khamenei.
When asked about these reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told ABC News on Monday that taking out Khamenei would not make the situation worse, but would end the conflict.
“It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” he said, hinting that Israel has not ruled out taking out Iran's Supreme Leader.
Israel-Iran war enters day six
The latest round of hostilities between Israel and Iran entered its sixth day on Wednesday, as both countries continued exchanging heavy air strikes.
The conflict began when Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites on Friday. Israel claimed Iran is secretly developing a nuclear weapon, something which Tehran has consistently denied.
At least 224 people have been killed in Iran and 24 people killed in Israel since the conflict started.
