Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, has bluntly rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” amid the rapidly rising war between Iran and Israel.
In a televised address, Khamenei warned that any US military engagement in the continuing war would cause “irreparable damage” to the US, emphasizing that Iran will not succumb to threats or external pressure.
He went on to say “Intelligent people who know Iran, the nation and the history of Iran, will never speak to this nation in the language of threats, because the Iranian nation cannot be surrendered” . Khamenei’s words come shortly after Trump publicly raised the notion of assassinating Iran’s leader, though Trump later stressed that he would not take such action “at least for now.”
The backdrop to these utterances is a major escalation of hostility. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Tehran and other Iranian cities, with an emphasis on missile development and nuclear facilities.
According to Israeli military sources, dozens of sites, including centrifuge factories and enrichment workshops, were targeted, killing senior Iranian military leaders and nuclear experts. Iran responded by launching a volley of ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as drones against Israel. The majority of them were intercepted, but the exchanges have left the Iranian and Israeli people bracing for further escalation.
Throughout this instability, Trump has kept the world guessing about possible US military intervention. He has remarked, “Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” and has considered several military options, including strikes on Iranian nuclear sites in cooperation with Israel.
While Trump claimed that Iran had reached out for discussions and hinted that “nothing’s too late” for a nuclear deal, Iran’s UN envoy flatly refuted any such offer, claiming, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House.” Iran does not talk under duress, will not embrace peace under duress, and will surely not do so with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.”
Despite the bellicose language, there is evidence of potential backchannel negotiation. Anonymous Iranian authorities have shown an openness to US-brokered cease-fire talks with Israel, and multiple Iranian government and commercial aircraft have been traced arriving in Oman, a typical intermediary between Tehran and Washington. However, the identity and objectives of individuals on board are unknown.
On the ground, the situation is terrible. Thousands of civilians are fleeing Tehran following Israeli airstrikes, and the US Embassy in Jerusalem has begun evacuating American citizens from Israel as a precaution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Israeli people’s fortitude and thanked Trump for his continuous support, emphasizing the two leaders’ constant communication.
The Iran-Israel confrontation has entered a combustible new phase, with Khamenei rejecting US demands and warning of “irreparable damage” if the US intervenes militarily. The region remains volatile, with both parties intensifying militarily while diplomatic channels remain tense and unpredictable.
