Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday declared a symbolic victory over Israel, marking his first public comments since a ceasefire was reached following a series of military confrontations involving the United States and Israel.
He also said the US gained nothing from its strikes, UNB reports.
Speaking in Tehran, Khamenei said Iran had “defeated the enemy's intentions,” even as he acknowledged the country had lost senior military leaders and sustained damage to critical nuclear infrastructure.
His remarks came amid ongoing questions about the full extent of damage from the recent strikes and the broader strategic consequences for the region.
In a notable development, CIA Director John Ratcliffe told reporters that the agency had gathered “a body of credible evidence” indicating that Iran’s nuclear programme had been severely crippled by the targeted US strikes.
Echoing that assessment, an unnamed Iranian official conceded that key nuclear installations had been “badly damaged” by both US and Israeli attacks during the conflict.
Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry declined to confirm whether Iranian and US delegations would meet next week, despite US President Donald Trump suggesting such a possibility during a news conference at the NATO summit. The uncertainty underscores the fragile state of diplomatic engagement between the two adversaries.
In Washington, the Biden administration has reportedly moved to limit the sharing of classified information with Congress, in what officials described as an effort to reduce the risk of leaks. This decision has already drawn criticism from some lawmakers who argue it undermines democratic oversight of military operations.
Looking ahead, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is scheduled to hold a news conference at 8 a.m. ET, where he is expected to address the scope and objectives of the US strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets.
The recent flare-up has raised concerns across global capitals about a renewed cycle of escalation in the Middle East, with international observers calling for restraint on all sides.
