Imam Khamenei: “Israel” Clung to US in Desperation During War with Iran

By Staff, Agencies

Leader of the Islamic Revolution His Eminence Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei declared that “Israel” was forced to “bow down and cling to the United States” after failing to confront Iran independently during the recent 12-day war, which he said demonstrated both the Islamic Republic's strength and the nation's unshakable unity.

Speaking Wednesday during a high-level meeting with judiciary officials in Tehran, Imam Khamenei emphasized that the confrontation exposed the limits of “Israeli” power and affirmed Iran’s growing stature on the world stage.

“This war showcased not just the military and strategic capabilities of the Islamic Republic, but more importantly, the resilience, awareness, and national self-confidence of the Iranian people,” he said.

“The great achievement of the people during the 12-day war was their determination and readiness to confront a power like the United States and its chained dog, the Zionist entity. That spirit alone is of immense value,” the Leader added.

Imam Khamenei recalled a time when even private criticism of the US was taboo among Iranian officials. “Today, Iran has reached a point where not only does it not fear the United States, but it also instills fear in it,” he said. “This spirit and national will is exactly what makes Iran proud and leads it to achieve its great aspirations.”

The war began on June 13, when “Israel” launched a surprise, unprovoked assault on Iranian soil, assassinating high-ranking IRG commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Days later, the US joined the offensive, striking three nuclear facilities inside Iran in a direct breach of the UN Charter, international law, and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty [NPT].

In response, the Iranian Armed Forces carried out widespread retaliatory strikes targeting strategic “Israeli” installations across the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar—the largest US military installation in West Asia.

By June 24, Iran's sustained and coordinated counteroffensive forced the Israeli regime, politically isolated and militarily overwhelmed, to declare a unilateral ceasefire through a statement issued by US President Donald Trump.

Turning to the legal consequences of the war, Imam Khamenei urged Iran’s judiciary to take decisive and long-term action to hold the perpetrators accountable.

“The Judiciary must rigorously pursue the crimes committed against the Iranian people in both domestic and international courts,” he said. “We have failed in this regard many times in the past. This time, we must not fall short.”

Acknowledging the influence of global power structures on many international tribunals, the Leader stressed that justice must nonetheless be pursued relentlessly. “Even if today the courts are under the influence of certain powers, one day a judge may emerge who is independent,” he said. “If it takes twenty years, it does not matter. The criminal must be held accountable.”

Imam Khamenei’s remarks mark a strong reaffirmation of Iran’s military doctrine of deterrence, retaliation, and legal retribution, underscoring the country’s commitment to resisting foreign aggression both on the battlefield and in the courtroom.