Khamenei warns of ‘irreparable consequences’ if US joins Israel strikes, says Iran won’t surrender

“People will not forget the blood of martyrs and the attack on their territory,” he said, referencing the ongoing Israeli strikes on Iranian territory. “Iran will not accept an imposed peace or war.”

Addressing statements by President Donald Trump, who a day earlier said the US was aware of the Supreme Leader’s location but won’t kill him, “at least for now,” Khamenei said: “They should know that Iran will not surrender and any US strike will have serious, irreparable consequences,” Tasnim News quoted him as saying.

Referring to Trump’s demand of “unconditional surrender”, Khamenei said: “Those who know Iran’s history know that Iranians do not answer well to the language of threat.”

Earlier in the day, Khamenei, in a post on X, said, “In the name of God, the battle begins.” In another post, he said Iran “must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy.”

We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime.
We will show the Zionists no mercy.

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 17, 2025

Khamenei’s warning came after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles were used in its latest attack on Israel as part of “Operation Honest Promise 3.” The IRGC also launched a “swarm of drones” towards Israel, claiming to have “gained complete control over the skies of the occupied territories.”

Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes struck targets in Tehran before dawn on Wednesday. The Israeli military had warned civilians in District 18 to evacuate ahead of the strike. Iranian state media reported multiple explosions across the capital, including in the Piroozi, Sabalan, and Sayyad areas.

(With inputs from Reuters)