Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that the United States can never destroy the Islamic Republic, responding to recent anti-Iran statements by US President Donald Trump. Speaking on Tuesday in East Azerbaijan Province before thousands gathered ahead of the anniversary of the 1978 Tabriz uprising, Khamenei warned that even the most powerful American warships could be sunk. He said the US military, though claiming to be the world’s strongest, could still be struck so hard that it could not recover.

Khamenei accused Washington of seeking dominance over the Iranian nation and asserted that Iranians know how to respond. He reaffirmed Iran’s right to pursue its nuclear program, including uranium enrichment, under international frameworks, calling any attempt to undermine that right unreasonable. His remarks followed Trump’s claim about US military strength and his stance toward Iran.

The comments, reported by the Mehr news agency, underscore Tehran’s defiance amid continued US pressure and highlight Iran’s insistence on maintaining its nuclear rights within international norms.