Keep dreaming; Khomeini slams US President on claims he has destroyed Iranian nuclear sites

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Monday rejected US President Donald Trump’s assertion that American strikes in June had destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities.

In a statement on his official website, Khamenei told Trump to “keep dreaming” regarding the alleged destruction and questioned the US president’s authority “to say what a country should or should not have if it possesses a nuclear industry.”

The claims follow an unprecedented bombing campaign by Israel in mid-June, which saw the US briefly join in targeting key Iranian nuclear sites.

Last week, speaking at the Israeli Knesset, Trump said the US had confirmed “obliterating” the facilities.

“So we dropped 14 bombs on Iran’s key nuclear facilities. Totally as I said originally obliterating them and that’s been confirmed,” he stated.

In a Sunday interview with Fox News, Trump added that Iran “no longer became the bully of the Middle East” after the strikes, which he claimed “destroyed their nuclear capability” and described as “the most beautiful military operation.”

However, the actual impact of the strikes remains unclear.

The Pentagon estimated that the attacks delayed Iran’s nuclear program by one to two years, contradicting an initial classified US intelligence report suggesting only a few months of setback.

On Monday, Khamenei described Trump’s comments as “improper, wrong, and bullying.”

The June conflict with Israel occurred just two days before a planned sixth round of nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, which had started in April.

Talks have since stalled, with Iran stating it would only resume discussions if the US provided guarantees against military action.

JUST IN: Israel has agreed to 60-day ceasefire says Donald Trump

Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions for a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza war and it is now up to Hamas to accept the deal, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday.

During the two-month period, the United States will work with all parties to end the conflict, Trump wrote on his platform, Truth Social.

Representatives from Qatar and Egypt, who have been heavily involved in peace efforts, will deliver this latest proposal to the Palestinian extremist organisation, Hamas.

“I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better – IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump said in his post.

The president said U.S. representatives held a long and productive meeting with Israeli officials on Tuesday to discuss Gaza.

However, there was no immediate comment from the Israeli side.

Trump had already hinted at a possible ceasefire in the Gaza war a few days ago.

He is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington next week, with the Gaza war at the top of the agenda.

Trump reiterated on Tuesday that he expects an agreement to be reached next week.

The U.S. has been working for weeks to gain support for a plan involving an initial 60-day ceasefire. (dpa/NAN)

JUST IN; Iran issues death threat against American President Donald Trump

Iran has indirectly issued a death threat against U.S. President Donald Trump, after an influential cleric said threats against Iranian leader Ali Khamenei are considered a curse and a sin, punishable by death under Islam.

Nearly two weeks ago, Trump had indirectly threatened Khamenei, saying he was an easy target.

“We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” he said in comments to reporters.

Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, an influential cleric from Qom, south of the capital Tehran, did not mention Trump by name but stated in a religious declaration that threats against Khamenei or other religious leaders are considered so grievous they are punishable by death under Islam, the state news agency Irna reported.

Makarem Shirazi was responding to a question from a believer about Trump.

“Individuals or regimes that attack an Islamic government or threaten or act against its religious leaders are considered ‘Mohareb’ ” which means enemies of God or warriors against God.

Therefore, he said, it is the duty of Muslims to hold these “enemies” accountable. Ayatollah is the religious title of an Islamic legal scholar.

He did not directly name Trump but merely explained Islamic principles, which state that those who punish the enemies of Islamic states and leaders are regarded as holy warriors and are assured of God’s blessing. (dpa/NAN)