Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday formally rejected a blunt demand by President Donald Trump one day earlier for “unconditional surrender.”
The 86-year-old Iranian dictator gave his response in a recorded speech broadcast on television, his first appearance since the launch of Israel’s Operation Rising Lion last Friday, and subsequently in English on the X social media platform.
“The US President threatens us. With his absurd rhetoric, he demands that the Iranian people surrender to him. They should make threats against those who are afraid of being threatened. The Iranian nation isn’t frightened by such threats,” Khamenei claimed, from his hiding place in a bunker with his wife and children.
“It isn’t wise to tell the Iranian nation to surrender. What should the Iranian nation surrender to? We will never surrender in response to the attacks of anyone. This is the logic of the Iranian nation. This is the spirit of the Iranian nation,” Khamenei said.
“The US entering in this matter [war] is 100% to its own detriment. The damage it will suffer will be far greater than any harm that Iran may encounter,” the Iranian leader threatened. “The harm the US will suffer will definitely be irreparable if they enter this conflict militarily.”
Khamenei subsequently took to X to slam Trump’s demands, writing, “It was already suspected that the US was involved in the malicious move carried out by the Zionist regime, but considering their recent remarks, this suspicion is growing stronger day by day. The Iranian nation will stand firmly against any imposed war, just as it always has,” he wrote.
One hour later, Khamenei added, “The Iranian nation also firmly stands against any imposed peace. The Iranian nation will not capitulate to anyone in the face of coercion.
“The Zionist enemy has made a grave mistake and committed a serious crime, and it must be punished.”
Three government planes took off from Tehran on Wednesday, heading for Oman, according to Iranian American filmmaker Mahyar Tousi, who added that one of the planes belonged to Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshian.
