Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was “not worthy” of contact or cooperation, dismissing reports of backchannel messages between Tehran and Washington as “pure lies.”
Speaking in a televised address marking Iran’s Basij Day, Khamenei rejected speculation that Iran had reached out to the United States and accused Washington and Israel of failing to achieve their goals during the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June.
He said Israel’s unprecedented bombing campaign that month, which prompted U.S. participation through strikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities, had not weakened the Islamic Republic. Iran responded at the time with missile and drone attacks, halting nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington that had begun in April. A cease-fire between Iran and Israel has been in effect since June 24.
Khamenei praised what he described as strong public unity during the conflict, saying even those critical of the government had “stood by the system,” a cohesion he said must be “preserved and appreciated.”
The supreme leader also dismissed Trump’s repeated claims that U.S. strikes destroyed Iran’s nuclear program, noting that assessments differ sharply. While Trump has insisted the program was “obliterated,” the Pentagon has said the strikes likely set Iran back by one to two years, contradicting an earlier classified U.S. intelligence estimate reported by American media that suggested only a short delay.
Khamenei previously mocked Trump’s assertions, saying he should “keep dreaming.”
