On Friday, former U.S. President Donald Trump made explosive claims on his Truth Social platform, stating that he had personally prevented the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump sharply criticized the Iranian leader for what he described as a lack of gratitude and warned of future military action if Iran continues to pursue nuclear weapons.
In his post, Trump said that the United States would not hesitate to carry out additional bombings against Iran if the regime continues to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels despite recent U.S. strikes. He accused Tehran of trying to spin the situation, referencing Khamenei’s statement downplaying the damage from American attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
Trump wrote, “I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!’”
The former president expressed outrage over Khamenei’s defiant rhetoric, in which the Iranian leader claimed Iran had defeated Israel and delivered a “slap” to the United States. In response, Trump said he had “immediately dropped all work on sanction relief” and called on Iran to return to negotiations.
According to Trump, efforts had been underway to consider lifting some U.S. sanctions on Iran an issue central to Tehran’s demands in any nuclear negotiations. However, those discussions were abruptly abandoned following Khamenei’s statements.
Tensions escalated further after Iran’s Foreign Minister denied reports of renewed nuclear negotiations with the United States, despite Trump asserting at a NATO summit in The Hague that talks were scheduled to resume next week.
As the standoff deepens, Trump’s comments add a new layer of volatility to the already strained relationship between Washington and Tehran, particularly as nuclear tensions in the region remain high.
