TEHRAN. After days of increased Israeli bombardment, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected American calls for capitulation on Wednesday, stating that any American military intervention would do “irreparable damage” to the US. Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his rhetoric, demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and implying that he was aware of Khamenei’s location but had “no plans to kill him—at least not for now,” he delivered his message in an official statement that was broadcast on state television.
With U.S. forces already relocated in the Gulf and tensions rising throughout the region, the acerbic debate highlights concerns that the confrontation between Israel and Iran might intensify into a regional war. “The Iranian nation is not one to surrender,” Khamenei said, adding that those who are familiar with Iran and its past “never speak to this nation with the language of threats.” Later, a video of his speech is anticipated to run as part of a trend of broadcasts that are delayed, presumably for security reasons. His precise location is still unclear.
Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, warned earlier Wednesday that any American engagement would run the risk of “all-out war.” Iran, however, reaffirmed its determination to enrich uranium for “peaceful purposes,” defying Washington’s calls for it to give up its nuclear aspirations.
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