Khamenei Claims US Achieved Nothing Amid Pentagon’s Support of Trump

• Khamenei says Trump “exaggerated” the impact of US strikes.
• Khamenei claims the US was dealt a “slap” after attacking Iranian nuclear facilities.
• Pentagon denies having intelligence that Iran shifted its uranium stocks.

On Thursday, a clash of narratives emerged between Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following recent American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear installations.

In response to prolonged Israeli bombardments of critical nuclear and military sites since June 13, the US targeted three significant Iranian atomic facilities on Sunday: Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.

During a televised speech, US President Donald Trump declared that Iran’s主要 nuclear enrichment installations had been “completely and totally destroyed.”

“We dropped a full payload of bombs on Fordow, and now it’s gone,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

However, an initial classified evaluation, reported by CNN, suggested that the strikes failed to eliminate key components, only delaying Iran’s nuclear program by a few months.

Experts have also raised concerns about whether Iran relocated around 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of enriched uranium in anticipation of the airstrikes, potentially hiding them in various locations across their vast territory.

‘US has gained nothing from this conflict’

In his first public appearance since a ceasefire with Israel was established, Khamenei stated that Trump “overstated” the ramifications of the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

In his address, Khamenei proclaimed a “victory” over Israel while asserting that the US had suffered a setback after its operations against Iranian nuclear sites.

“The American president exaggerated the situation, and it seems he needed to do so,” Khamenei stated.

According to him, the US “has not gained anything from this conflict,” emphasizing that the attacks did not significantly impact Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“The Islamic Republic triumphed and retaliated strongly against the US,” referring to Iran’s missile strike on the largest US base in the Middle East.

“I want to congratulate the proud Iranian nation … for its victory over the false Zionist regime,” he claimed, asserting that Israel was “on the verge of collapse” due to Iran’s attacks.

Both nations have claimed victory, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently declaring a “historic win” for Israel.

‘No evidence that Iran moved uranium’

Meanwhile, Secretary Hegseth mentioned that he lacked any intelligence indicating that Iran had transferred its highly enriched uranium to safeguard it from US strikes on its nuclear facilities over the weekend.

“I’ve seen no intelligence suggesting that anything was relocated,” he stated at an often heated press briefing.

Trump, observing the press interactions, backed his defense secretary’s comments, asserting that moving anything would have taken too long.

The vehicles at the site were merely those of construction workers, attempting to cover the openings, and nothing was taken from the facility, Trump asserted on his social media platform.

However, certain analysts warned that Iran might have shifted a quantity of near weapons-grade enriched uranium from Fordow to an undisclosed site prior to the strikes, possibly concealing it from Israeli, US, and UN inspectors.

Recent satellite images from Maxar Technologies indicated “unusual activity” at Fordow leading up to the airstrikes, with numerous vehicles observed at the site’s entrance. An unnamed senior Iranian source told Reuters that much of the 60% enriched uranium had been relocated before the US attack.

Uranium’s Current Location

According to The Financial Times, sources from European capitals reported that Iran’s stock of highly enriched uranium remains largely untouched, as it wasn’t primarily held at Fordow.

Hegseth’s remarks rejecting such claims surfaced during a briefing where he also criticized the media for downplaying the effectiveness of US strikes after a leaked intelligence assessment suggested they might have only hindered Iran’s program temporarily.

He characterized that assessment as low confidence and stated, citing CIA Director John Ratcliffe, that newer intelligence indicated serious damage to Iran’s nuclear program, projecting years for its recovery.

Ratcliffe was scheduled to brief all 100 senators later on Thursday. This briefing was initially set for Tuesday but postponed. The Senate is expected to vote this week on a resolution necessitating congressional approval for any action against Iran.

During the Pentagon press conference, Hegseth labeled the airstrikes as “historically successful.” His remarks came on the heels of Khamenei’s assertion that Iran would retaliate against any future US aggressions by targeting American military installations in the Middle East.

Khamenei celebrated the outcome of the conflict and affirmed that Iran would not capitulate despite Trump’s assertions.

‘Media Bias’

Throughout the press briefing, Hegseth called out the media, asserting without proof that there exists an anti-Trump inclination among journalists.

“It’s in your nature to root against Trump because you wish for him to fail,” Hegseth remarked.

“There are numerous facets of our brave service members’ accomplishments that the media, due to its animosity, tends to overlook,” he added.

Trump commended Hegseth’s press conference as “one of the most professional and affirming news conferences I have ever witnessed!”

On X, Hegseth expressed his gratitude for Trump’s praise.

The top US military officer, General Dan Caine, focused on technical details during the briefing, explaining the history of the bunker-busting munitions used. He demonstrated a video showcasing the testing of these bombs on a structure akin to those that were struck on Sunday.

Caine refrained from giving his personal evaluation of the strike and referred to the intelligence community for further insights. He assured that he had faced no pressure to adjust his assessment in a more positive manner due to political influences.

“I’ve never been pressured by the president or the secretary to do anything other than to provide them with my truthful opinion, which is what I have always done,” he stated.