Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has categorically rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” calling such rhetoric unacceptable and detached from the Iranian nation’s history of resistance.
In a statement read on Iranian state television on Wednesday, Khamenei declared that Iran would never yield to threats, regardless of the pressure applied.
“Those who understand Iran and its people know that speaking in the language of threats is futile. The Iranian nation will never surrender,” Khamenei stated.
He added that neither peace nor war can be imposed on the Islamic Republic by external powers.
“Any U.S. military intervention would bring about irreversible consequences,” he warned.
Khamenei’s remarks came after a night of intense Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, prompting mass evacuations from the capital. Israel’s military said it deployed 50 jets to strike approximately 20 targets, including missile production facilities.
The situation escalated after Israel launched a broad aerial assault on Friday, claiming Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon — an accusation Tehran firmly denies, maintaining its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials confirmed that President Trump is reviewing potential military options, including joining Israel in targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. According to sources familiar with internal discussions, the use of bunker-buster bombs is among the options under consideration.
In Geneva, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ali Bahreini, reiterated Tehran’s warning to Washington, stating that any direct U.S. involvement in the ongoing Israeli offensive would trigger a firm and serious Iranian response.
“We have made it clear to the U.S. that if they cross the red line by joining Israel’s military campaign, Iran will respond decisively,” Bahreini said.
He accused Washington of being “complicit” in Israel’s actions, describing Trump’s recent comments as “unjustified and openly hostile.”
“We are closely monitoring his statements and factoring them into our strategic calculations,” Bahreini added.
The developments mark a dangerous turning point in the Iran-Israel conflict, raising fears of a broader regional war with direct U.S. involvement on the horizon.
