In a sharp rebuke on Monday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that American strikes in June destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities. Speaking via his official website, Khamenei dismissed Trump’s statements as “improper, wrong, and bullying,” urging the U.S. leader to “keep dreaming” about the alleged destruction. The comments come amid heightened tensions following a mid-June Israeli-led bombing campaign, briefly joined by U.S. forces, targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Trump, in a recent speech at the Israeli Knesset and a Fox News interview, boasted that the U.S. had “obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites with 14 bombs, describing the operation as “the most beautiful military operation.” He further claimed the strikes had significantly diminished Iran’s regional influence, asserting that the country “no longer became the bully of the Middle East” due to the destruction of its nuclear capabilities. However, the actual impact of the strikes remains unclear, with conflicting reports on the extent of the damage.

The Pentagon has stated that the June strikes set Iran’s nuclear program back by one to two years, contradicting an earlier classified U.S. intelligence report cited by American media, which estimated a delay of only a few months. The strikes occurred just days before a scheduled sixth round of nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, which began in April but have since stalled. Iran has conditioned further talks on U.S. guarantees against additional military actions, a demand that remains unmet.

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Khamenei’s statement also challenged Trump’s authority to dictate what a sovereign nation like Iran, with its established nuclear industry, should possess. The Supreme Leader’s defiant rhetoric underscores the deepening rift between Tehran and Washington, as Iran navigates the fallout of the June conflict and seeks to protect its nuclear ambitions. With negotiations derailed and regional tensions simmering, the path to diplomatic resolution appears increasingly uncertain.

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