Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has issued a stern warning following recent military strikes, stating that Israel committed a serious error by attacking Iranian territory and now faces ongoing consequences. This marked his first official statement since the U.S. joined Israel in launching coordinated airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
In a public address in Tehran on Wednesday, Khamenei condemned the attacks and cautioned that the U.S. intervention has significantly escalated the regional conflict. “The Zionist regime has made a major miscalculation and is facing retribution — retribution that will continue,” he said. He further warned, “America’s involvement in this war poses a grave danger.”
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The remarks follow a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation over the weekend that targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow — core sites of the country’s uranium enrichment programme. The U.S. has justified the strikes as a preventive measure against Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons ambitions.
However, Tehran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, asserting that its nuclear programme is peaceful and monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In response to the strikes, Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani, described the military action as a “blatant and unlawful act of aggression,” reaffirming that Iran retains its right to retaliate under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Iravani emphasized that the latest U.S. action is directly connected to earlier Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, which had already caused significant civilian casualties.
In a show of international concern, Russia, China, and Pakistan strongly condemned the airstrikes during an emergency session at the UN Security Council. Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said the U.S. had “opened a Pandora’s box,” while China’s envoy Fu Cong called the strikes a “dangerous violation of international law.” Pakistan’s UN representative Iftikhar Ahmad labeled the attacks as a “clear infringement of Iran’s sovereignty” and pushed for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Iran’s leadership reaffirmed that the country’s nuclear development programme remains unaffected. Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei, stated that Iran’s technical capabilities, enriched uranium stockpile, and national resolve remain firm despite the attacks.
