Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared on Tuesday that the United States will never succeed in destabilizing the Islamic Republic, responding to escalating military rhetoric from Washington. Speaking amid renewed nuclear negotiations, Khamenei emphasized Iran's capacity to counter foreign aggression, stating, "Even the strongest military force in the world can suffer crippling blows so hard that it cannot rise again."
The remarks follow U.S. President Donald Trump's recent assertion that regime change in Iran would be "the best thing that could happen." Khamenei dismissed these threats, citing 47 years of failed U.S. efforts to undermine Iran's governance. "That is a good admission," he said. "I say, you, too, will not be able to do this."
Indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington resumed this week in Geneva, mediated by Oman and hosted at its embassy. The U.S. delegation includes presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. The negotiations unfold against a backdrop of heightened tensions, including a U.S. military buildup in West Asia and Iranian warnings about naval capabilities. "More dangerous than [a U.S.] warship," Khamenei noted, "is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea."
