Deborah Akinyosoye
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, yesterday, said the nation would never surrender and warned that the United States would suffer irreparable damage if it intervenes, even as Israel said it had destroyed the internal security headquarters in Tehran.
Khamenei’s speech came six days into the conflict, with Trump saying his patience with Iran had already run out, but declined to say whether US would intervene in the conflict.
This is even as Amnesty International has urged Israel and Iran to spare civilians as their conflict escalates and alarm grows over the death toll.
Delivering a national address, Khamenei described Trump’s request for Iran’s unconditional surrender as unacceptable, while criticizing Israel for launching its military campaign while Iran was engaged in nuclear talks with the United States.
“This nation will never surrender to any imposition from anyone. America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage,” he said.
Khamenei, in power since 1989 and the final arbiter of all matters of state in Iran, had earlier vowed the country would show no mercy towards Israel’s leaders.
Repeating similar threat, Iran’s Mission to the United Nation said Iran would not negotiate or accept peace under duress.
Writing in an X post, the Mission said: “No Iran’s official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of White House. The only thing more despicable as his (Trump) lies is his threat to take out Iran’s supreme leader.
“Iran does not negotiate under duress, shall not accept peace under duress, and certainly not with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance. Iran shall respond to any threat with a counter-threat, and to any action with reciprocal measures.”