New Delhi — As regional tensions reached a boiling point, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a defiant statement asserting that “Iran is not a nation that surrenders,” shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump officially announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, as per a report by the CNBC.
The high-stakes exchange came after Iran retaliated for American strikes on its nuclear facilities by launching missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar. These developments marked a dramatic escalation in the ongoing conflict that began with Israeli airstrikes on June 13.
Khamenei’s message, posted on his official X account, read:
“Those who know the Iranian people and their history know that the Iranian nation isn’t a nation that surrenders.”
This declaration came mere hours before President Trump, via his Truth Social platform, declared that both Iran and Israel had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire,” which would be phased in over the next 24 hours.
The missile attack on the U.S. base was a direct response to America’s strike on three of Iran’s nuclear sites. According to U.S. officials, the strike involved 14 bunker-buster bombs, over two dozen Tomahawk missiles, and more than 125 military aircraft, effectively targeting key Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
While Iran claimed its retaliation used the same number of bombs as those dropped on its nuclear sites, Trump dismissed the Iranian strike as a “very weak response,” noting Tehran had issued a warning beforehand and no injuries were reported.
Reports suggest that since Israel launched its military campaign on June 13, at least 950 people have been killed and more than 3,450 wounded in Iran, according to figures cited by the Associated Press from a human rights organization.
The New York Times revealed that 86-year-old Khamenei had been operating from a bunker since the beginning of the Israeli offensive, communicating with his commanders through intermediaries and limiting electronic communications due to assassination fears. The report also noted that he had already appointed replacements for key military figures in anticipation of potential strikes.
The ceasefire, seen as a possible turning point, indicates a temporary halt to a deadly conflict that had the potential to spiral further, drawing in global powers and igniting a broader Middle Eastern war.
The incident underscores the complexity of diplomacy and military strategy in the region, where force and negotiation are often used simultaneously.
