Iran's Supreme Leader Issues Defiant Peace Ultimatum to US and Israel
Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has declared that the United States and Israel must be 'brought to their knees' and accept defeat before any peace agreement to end the ongoing conflict can be considered. The hardline cleric, who succeeded his father following a fatal airstrike in late February, has yet to make a public appearance, fueling widespread speculation about his health and whereabouts.
Rejection of Ceasefire Proposals and Call for Revenge
According to a senior Iranian official speaking anonymously to Reuters, Khamenei has rejected all proposals for reducing tensions or establishing a ceasefire with Washington. These proposals were reportedly conveyed to Tehran by two intermediary nations. The official stated that the new leader's appetite for revenge against the US and Israel was described as 'very tough and serious' during his first foreign policy session, though it remains unclear if Khamenei attended in person.
The senior official elaborated, quoting the Supreme Leader: 'It is not the right time for peace until the United States and Israel are brought to their knees, accept defeat, and pay compensation.' This uncompromising stance comes as the war enters its third week, with at least 2,000 casualties reported and no resolution in sight. The conflict has drawn in Gulf states hosting US military bases, as well as Lebanon, further escalating regional tensions.
Strategic Closure of the Strait of Hormuz
In his first statement as leader, read by a state television news anchor last week, Khamenei vowed that Iran would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed to international shipping. This critical waterway, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, remains largely blocked, raising global energy prices and stoking fears of inflation. European allies have rebuffed US President Donald Trump's requests for assistance in reopening the strait.
Khamenei asserted that Iran's retaliation so far represents only 'a limited portion' of what is to come. While expressing a desire to maintain friendships with Gulf neighbours, he announced that attacks on US bases in the region will continue. 'We are not an enemy of the countries around us, and we are only targeting the bases of those Americans,' he declared.
Speculation Over Leader's Health and Secret Treatment
Reports indicate that the 56-year-old Supreme Leader was flown to Moscow for treatment of serious injuries sustained in the airstrike that killed his father. A source in Tehran claimed he had been in a coma at Sina University Hospital and, due to his condition, was unaware of the ongoing war, the deaths of family members including his wife and son, and his own election as Supreme Leader.
Rumours persist that the cleric has lost a leg or may even be deceased. Kuwaiti news outlet Al-Jarida reported that his injuries required an operation 'personally offered by Putin,' with Khamenei secretly boarding a Russian military aircraft to a presidential palace for surgery. This report remains unconfirmed, but Al-Jarida cites a high-ranking source close to the leader.
Separate sources told The Sun via secret messages that Khamenei is in 'very serious' condition, possibly with amputated legs and internal organ damage, and is being treated at Sina University Hospital in Mashhad under the care of Iran's health minister and a top trauma surgeon.
US and Israeli Responses to the Crisis
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth stated on Friday that he believes Khamenei is wounded and likely disfigured. President Trump further fanned the flames, telling NBC News: 'I don't know if he's even alive. So far, nobody's been able to show him.' Trump added he had heard rumours of Khamenei's death and suggested surrender as a smart move for Iran.
Meanwhile, an Israeli security official bluntly told the Daily Mail: 'We know where he is,' advising against trusting Iranian reports. In a significant escalation, Israel claimed to have assassinated top Iranian official Ali Larijani, the secretary of the regime's National Security Council, in an airstrike overnight. Larijani, 67, was the highest-profile figure killed since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the war's first day.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared: 'Larijani and the Basij commander were eliminated overnight and joined the head of the annihilation program, Khamenei, and all the eliminated members of the axis of evil, in the depths of hell.' Last week, Larijani had warned Trump to 'take care not to be eliminated' and dismissed US-Israeli attacks as acts of desperation.
Personal Loss and Regional Proxy Support
In his televised statement, Khamenei spoke emotionally of losing his father and wife in the airstrike, noting that his sister also lost her child and husband. 'What makes it easier for us to endure all these plights is to trust the grace of God and to know that patience is going to resolve it,' he said.
The Supreme Leader hinted at support from Iran's proxies in the region, claiming that armed groups in Iraq 'want to help' his nation, while those in Yemen 'will also do the job' in the fight against the US and Israel. As the war drags on with no public appearance from Khamenei, his silence starkly contrasts with his father's fiery 'never surrender' video messages during previous conflicts, leaving the international community uncertain about Iran's next moves and the leader's true condition.
