Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a grave warning to the U.S. on Wednesday, telling the country it would suffer “irreparable damage” if it engages in military action against Iran amid its conflict with Israel.
“The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” Khamenei said in a televised address. “The U.S. 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.”
His statement was also shared online.
“It was already suspected that the U.S. 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,” Khamenei said.
Calling out President Donald Trump directly, the Supreme Leader added: “The U.S. 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.”
Trump issued a series of cryptic responses following Khamenei’s highly-publicized address.
When asked if the U.S. is “moving closer” to striking Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump offered a non-committal: “I may do it, I may not do it, nobody knows what I’m going to do… I can tell you this. Iran’s got a lot of trouble. They want to negotiate. I said, ‘Why didn’t you negotiate with me before? All this death and destruction.’”
On the subject of whether he gave Iran an ultimatum, the President said: “You could say so. Maybe you could call it the ultimate ultimatum.”
Responding to Khamenei’s assertion that Iran will never surrender, Trump said “good luck” to the country, adding that his patience with Iran has “already run out—that’s why we’re doing what we’re doing.” He did not elaborate on what he meant by this.
Amid the back-and-forth, Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York said that ”no Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House.”
“The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s Supreme Leader,” the statement read, speaking of Trump. “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance. Iran shall respond to any threat with a counter-threat, and to any action with reciprocal measures.”
The response directly refers to the very public warning that Trump issued against Khamenei on Tuesday.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there. We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Trump said via social media. “But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
Trump added what appeared to be a direct instruction to Iran, saying: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
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This latest back-and-forth between Trump and Iran comes amid questions surrounding the U.S. response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and whether or not the U.S. will become involved.
Trump notably spoke out after Israel’s early strikes on Iran—launched against the country’s nuclear and military targets on June 13—to say that the U.S. had not taken part.
But on Tuesday, Trump sparked renewed questions over the U.S.’ possible involvement.
“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran. Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff.’ Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA,” Trump said.
Joining Khamenei in his condemnation of any potential U.S. involvement, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei warned that “American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.”
“We have very good relations with Arab countries, and they are very cognizant of the fact that Israel has been trying to drag others into the war,” said Baghaei, in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday. “We are sure our Arab countries hosting U.S. bases would not allow their territory to be used against their Muslim neighbours.”
Read More: The Future of Iran Belongs Only to its People
Ahead of this commentary directed at Iran, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday that he is looking for a “real end” to the conflict between the two countries, something “better than a cease-fire.”
With tensions between Israel, Iran, and now the U.S., reaching what many fear is an all-time high, the road to an immediate end to the conflict is becoming significantly more problematic.