TEHRAN: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared publicly for the first time on Saturday since the 12-day war between Iran and Israel, which ended in a fragile ceasefire on June 24.
State media aired footage showing the 85-year-old leader attending a religious ceremony marking Ashura — the holiest day in the Shia Muslim calendar — at the Imam Khomeini Mosque in central Tehran. Dozens of attendees stood and chanted as Khamenei entered, waved, and nodded in acknowledgment.
This was Khamenei’s first live appearance since the conflict erupted on June 13, during which Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. Until Saturday, the leader had only issued pre-recorded speeches in response to the ongoing violence and political pressure.
US-Iran Tensions Escalate Amid Nuclear Fallout
Khamenei’s public appearance comes just days after Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. The move followed the bombing of three key nuclear facilities by US forces supporting Israel during the conflict.
On June 22, US President Donald Trump confirmed that America had targeted nuclear sites in Iran but claimed that the US had no plans to assassinate Khamenei, saying, “at least for now.” Trump had earlier warned that the US knew where Khamenei was hiding during the strikes.
In a pre-recorded address on June 26, Khamenei rebuked Trump’s calls for surrender and said Iran had delivered “a slap to America’s face” by targeting a US military base in Qatar. Trump fired back with a sarcastic remark:
“You’re a man of great faith. A man who’s highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell.”
Iran has reported that over 900 Iranians were killed in the fighting, with thousands more injured, including civilians, military personnel, and top scientists. Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes killed at least 28 people in Israel, according to official sources.
Iran Rejects Inspections But Stays in Nuclear Treaty
Following the war, Iran confirmed serious damage to its nuclear infrastructure and denied IAEA inspectors further access. Inspectors had remained in Tehran throughout the war, even as Israeli airstrikes targeted military installations and key scientific figures.
After President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law on July 3 suspending cooperation with the IAEA, the inspectors left the country. However, Iran has not officially withdrawn from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) or the JCPOA, the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by the US under Trump.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Thursday that Iran remains committed to the NPT and dismissed claims that Tehran planned to pursue nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi urged Iran to resume talks and restore monitoring and verification measures, calling dialogue “crucial” to preventing further escalation in the region.
Khamenei’s reemergence signals Tehran’s intent to reassert control domestically while facing mounting pressure internationally — especially as the nuclear standoff continues and the ceasefire remains fragile.
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