Iran‘s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a statement read by a television presenter on Wednesday, firmly rejected United States President Donald Trump‘s call for unconditional surrender.
In his first remarks since Friday, when he delivered a speech broadcast on state media after Israel began bombarding Iran, Khamenei said peace or war could not be imposed on the Islamic Republic.
“Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender,” he said.
“The Americans should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”
Thousands of people were fleeing Tehran on Wednesday after Israeli warplanes bombed the city overnight, and a source said Trump was considering options that include joining Israel in attacking Iranian nuclear sites.
Israel’s military said 50 Israeli jets had struck around 20 targets in Tehran overnight, including sites producing raw materials, components and manufacturing systems for missiles.
A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering a number of options, which included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear sites.
Iran had conveyed to Washington that it would retaliate against the United States for any direct participation, its ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said. He said he already saw the U.S. as “complicit in what Israel is doing”.
Conflict Enters Sixth Day
The Iran-Israel conflict has entered its sixth consecutive day on Wednesday, with no signs of de-escalation.
Aerial bombardments, missile strikes, and drone attacks continue to dominate the battlefield, with both nations intensifying their campaigns.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a new wave of missiles targeting Israeli air bases and critical infrastructure, prompting the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) to retaliate with precision strikes on suspected Iranian weapons facilities across western Iran.
Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems have intercepted dozens of incoming projectiles, but several have caused casualties and property damage.
Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba have all experienced air raid alerts, while parts of Tehran and Isfahan reported power outages following Israeli drone raids.
The conflict, which began after a series of escalatory moves and border skirmishes, has drawn international concern.
Regional tensions have surged, with Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Syria reportedly mobilising. Despite mounting civilian losses, diplomatic efforts to halt the air war remain stalled.
As both nations exchange firepower and warnings, fears grow that the regional standoff could spiral into a broader Middle East conflict, pulling in additional players and worsening instability.
(With inputs from Reuters)
