WASHINGTON: U.S. President Donald Trump strongly criticized Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for claiming victory in the recent war with Israel. Trump called the statement “foolish” and said Khamenei knew it was false.
In a post on his social media platform, Trump said a man who claims to be religious should not lie. He added that Iran has been devastated. Its three major nuclear sites were completely destroyed. Trump also said he knew where Khamenei was hiding but did not allow U.S. or Israeli forces to kill him.
“I saved his life from a humiliating death,” Trump wrote, adding sarcastically, “He didn’t even say, ‘Thank you, President Trump!’” He further revealed that near the end of the war, he ordered Israel to pull back a massive naval fleet heading toward Tehran. That strike, he said, would have been the biggest and deadliest attack of the war.
Trump also claimed that in recent days, he was working to ease sanctions and improve ties with Iran. This could have given Iran a fast recovery. But after Khamenei’s angry and hateful speech, Trump said he stopped all efforts immediately.
He ended his message by saying Iran must return to the global system, or its situation will get worse. He described Iran as a broken country, with a shattered army, collapsing economy, and no future. He said Iran’s leaders always choose anger over peace, and that must change. “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,” Trump concluded, calling for peace.