ALBAWABA- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed Western concerns over Tehran’s nuclear program as mere “pretexts” for confrontation, amid escalating rhetoric and military action between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Khamenei said, “The nuclear program, enrichment, and human rights are all pretexts. What they truly seek is your religion and your science.”
During the commemoration ceremony for the martyrs, Khamenei described the recent war as a clear demonstration of the Islamic Republic’s resilience and strength, highlighting the unwavering foundation of the Iranian state.
He emphasized that the root of external hostility lies in opposition to the Iranian nation’s faith, knowledge, and unity. "By God’s grace," he said, "the Iranian people will never abandon their commitment to religious values or to expanding knowledge. Despite the enemy’s efforts, Iran will rise to new heights of progress and honor."
Offering condolences to the families of those killed, military commanders, scientists, and civilians, Khamenei added that the 12-day conflict not only brought the Iranian nation recognition for its achievements, but also proved to the world its resolve, steadfastness, and strength.
“The world has now seen, up close, the true power of the Islamic Republic,” he said.
His remarks came just a day after former U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any resumption of Iranian nuclear activity would trigger swift retaliation.
“We eliminated their nuclear capabilities,” Trump told reporters during a visit to Scotland. “They may resume the program again—and if they do, we will destroy it in a heartbeat.”
Tensions have flared in recent weeks. On June 13, Israel launched targeted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Tehran, accusing Iran of posing an existential threat.
The U.S. reportedly backed the strikes and hit key enrichment sites at Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz. The attacks came just two days before the scheduled sixth round of U.S.–Iran nuclear talks—talks already strained by deep disagreements over uranium enrichment.
While Tehran insists on its right to enrich uranium, Washington views this as a red line. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran remains the only non-nuclear, armed country enriching uranium up to 60% purity, far beyond the 3.67% limit set by the 2015 nuclear deal, which the U.S. unilaterally abandoned in 2018 under Trump’s first term. Enriching uranium to 90% is required to build a nuclear weapon.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Trump’s remarks as inflammatory and disrespectful. “Iran, a nation with a rich culture rooted in 7,000 years of civilization, will never respond to the language of threat and intimidation,” he stated. “Iranians have never bowed to foreign powers—we respond only to respect.”
