Iran’s Khamenei rejects Trump’s surrender call, warns of ‘irreparable damage’ if U.S. joins fight

[Election Day In Iran]
Majid Saeedi/Getty Images News

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for an unconditional surrender, warning that Iran would not be coerced into peace or war.

In his first public response since the latest escalation, Khamenei delivered a sharp rebuke through a statement read on state television Wednesday, according to _Reuters_.

“Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender,” he said.

Khamenei added that any American military action would come at a steep cost.
“THE AMERICANS SHOULD KNOW THAT ANY U.S. MILITARY INTERVENTION WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE ACCOMPANIED BY IRREPARABLE DAMAGE,” he warned.

The comments came amid reports that thousands of civilians were fleeing Tehran after Israeli warplanes bombed the city overnight. A source familiar with internal U.S. deliberations said Trump and his advisers are weighing a range of responses, including joining Israel in targeted strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Iran has issued its own warning. Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said Tehran would retaliate against any direct U.S. involvement in the conflict and accused Washington of already being 'complicit in what Israel is doing.'

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