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A top Iranian official has warned that his country is prepared to deliver an even greater “blow” to its adversaries, including the United States and Israel.
Getting into it: The warning, made by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, came during a televised broadcast on Iranian state TV. He said, “The fact that our nation is ready to face the power of the United States and its dog on a leash, the Zionist regime, is very praiseworthy.” He referred to the recent Iranian missile attack on the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as “just the beginning” and said that “an even bigger blow could be inflicted on the US and others.”
Reiterating Iran’s commitment to resistance, Khamenei noted that “in both the diplomatic and military fields, whenever we enter the stage, we do so with our hands full and not from a position of weakness.” He further warned, “Fighting the U.S. and its dog on a leash Israel is praiseworthy.”
Khamenei’s comments come as nuclear negotiations between Iran and the United States remain stalled, with a sixth round of talks (originally set just days after the outbreak of the Iran-Israel conflict) having failed to materialize. Iranian officials have since stated that they remain open to talks with the US only if certain preconditions are met, although they have yet to specify what those entail. Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament has formally ruled out resuming talks under the current circumstances, adding further uncertainty to diplomatic efforts.
Regardless, the US and its European allies have set an informal deadline for progress by the end of the summer, warning that failure to reach a deal could trigger the reactivation of UN sanctions under the snapback mechanism.
This all comes as recent assessments from Western intelligence and independent analysts indicate that Iran may still possess a significant amount of enriched uranium despite last month’s Israeli and US strikes on key nuclear facilities. There is growing suspicion that portions of Iran’s stockpile were relocated in advance of the attacks, potentially preserving critical elements of its nuclear program. In light of this, discussions have intensified about the possibility of launching another coordinated military operation if Iran continues to obstruct inspections and refuses to reengage in nuclear talks.
