“I feel it necessary to extend several congratulations to the great Iranian nation," Ayatollah Khamenei said in his televised message.
"First, congratulations on the victory over the fake Zionist regime," he added.
"With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic," the leader noted.
The Leader paid tribute to the martyrs of the recent events, including senior military commanders and scientists, whom he described as “truly and rightfully valuable” to the Islamic Republic and faithful in their service until martyrdom.
Ayatollah Khamenei said the idea of the Islamic Republic being capable of delivering such devastating strikes had never even crossed the enemy’s mind, but it did happen.
“We thank God for aiding our armed forces, who managed to breach their advanced multilayered defense systems and flatten large parts of their military and urban centers with powerful missile and weapons strikes,” he said.
Ayatollah Khamenei said it proves to the Zionist regime that aggression against the Islamic Republic comes with a high cost that it will have to pay, crediting both the armed forces and the people of the Islamic Republic for the glorious victory.
"My congratulations on our dear Iran’s victory over the U.S. regime. The U.S. regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing," he added.
He said the Americans attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities, an act that calls for legal prosecution in international courts.
Referring to the bluster of U.S. President Donald Trump after the aggression and Iran's powerful retaliation, the Leader said the U.S. president unusually exaggerated events, clearly showing how badly he needed to create a narrative.
“Anyone who heard his remarks could sense that behind those words lay a very different truth,” he said. “They failed to achieve their objectives, and they inflated their claims to conceal the reality.”
Pointing to Iran's retaliatory strikes against the Al-Udeid U.S. Airbase, the leader said: "The Islamic Republic delivered a heavy slap to the U.S.’ face. It attacked and inflicted damage on the Al-Udeid Air Base, which is one of the key U.S. bases in the region."
"The fact that the Islamic Republic has access to key U.S. centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary is a significant matter. Such an action can be repeated in the future too. Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price," Ayatollah Khamenei warned.
Mojtaba Darabi
