Iran's Khamenei Warns Against Future US Attacks After Ceasefire Agreement

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed the nation on Thursday, marking his first public appearance since a ceasefire with Israel. In a televised speech, he claimed Iran had "slapped America's face" by attacking a US air base in Qatar. Khamenei's comments came amid heightened tensions with the United States and Israel, both long-standing adversaries of Iran.

The speech was Khamenei's first since June 19, and he appeared visibly fatigued, speaking in a hoarse voice. Despite this, he delivered strong warnings to the US and Israel. He downplayed recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, dismissing President Donald Trump's claims that the attacks had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear programme. "They could not achieve anything significant," Khamenei stated.

UN Confirms Damage to Nuclear Sites

Rafael Grossi, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), confirmed significant damage to Iranian nuclear facilities from Israeli and US strikes. Speaking to French broadcaster RFI, Grossi said, "I think annihilated is too much, but it suffered enormous damage." The IAEA has not been permitted to inspect the sites independently.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei acknowledged the damage to nuclear installations. "Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure," Baghaei admitted on Wednesday. Despite these setbacks, Iran remains committed to its nuclear programme.

Ceasefire Brings Partial Normalcy

Following the ceasefire, Iran began reopening its airspace on Thursday. Shops in Tehran resumed operations as traffic returned to the streets. Majid Akhavan from the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development announced that eastern airspace was open for domestic and international flights.

The conflict resulted in significant casualties. Tehran reported 606 deaths and 5,332 injuries within Iran. The Human Rights Activists group based in Washington provided higher figures, stating that Israeli strikes killed at least 1,054 people and wounded 4,476. Among those killed were 417 civilians and 318 security personnel.

Khamenei Warns Against Further Aggression

Khamenei warned that Iran could repeat its actions if provoked again. He claimed that Monday's attack on the US base in Qatar demonstrated Iran's capability to target key US locations in the region. "The Islamic Republic was victorious," he declared, adding that any future aggression would result in a heavy price for the enemy.

President Trump dismissed Iran's retaliatory strike as a "very weak response," noting that there were no casualties due to prior warning from Iran. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities reported intercepting 90% of over 550 missiles fired by Iran during the 12-day conflict.

Prospects for Peace Talks

Despite ongoing tensions, there are cautious hopes for peace talks between American and Iranian officials next week. Although Iran has not confirmed these discussions, US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff mentioned both direct and indirect communications between the nations.

A sixth round of negotiations was planned for earlier this month but was cancelled following Israeli attacks on Iran. In a move highlighting future challenges, Iran's parliament voted to fast-track a proposal limiting cooperation with the IAEA.

With inputs from PTI