US President Donald Trump claimed on Friday that he saved Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, from assassination and threatened to bomb the country again if it pursued nuclear weapons.
In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Iran of ingratitude, saying he had halted discussions on sanctions relief after Tehran’s defiant tone. The statement came as Iran prepared a state funeral for 60 nuclear scientists and top commanders killed during Israel’s 12-day bombing campaign, which began on 13 June.
Iran reported that at least 627 civilians died in the strikes, while insisting it had not suffered major damage to its nuclear infrastructure.
Trump stated that US intelligence knew Khamenei’s exact location during the offensive. “I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH,” he posted. “He doesn’t even have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!’”
He warned that the US would launch further strikes “without question” if Iran attempted to enrich uranium to weapons-grade level. Iran has consistently denied any intention to develop a nuclear arsenal.
Trump also revealed that he had been working on lifting sanctions on Iran, one of Tehran’s key demands, but abandoned the effort after receiving “anger, hatred, and disgust” in response.
Iran denied plans to resume nuclear talks, despite Trump’s claim that negotiations were set to resume next week.
Meanwhile, Tehran rejected a request by the UN’s nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, to inspect bombed nuclear facilities, accusing him of siding with the West. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi labelled Grossi’s silence over the strikes as a “betrayal of duty”.
When asked in a White House briefing whether he would consider further air strikes, Trump responded: “Sure. Without question. Absolutely.” He declared that Iran and Khamenei “got beat to hell”.
Khamenei, in a televised speech, said Iran had dealt Washington “a slap” and accused Trump of exaggeration. It remains unclear if he will attend the funeral in Tehran on Saturday.
The ceremony is set to begin at Enghelab Square before moving to Azadi Square, covering 11 kilometres across the capital. Among the 60 to be buried are four women and four children. Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami and Armed Forces Chief General Mohammad Bagheri—killed alongside his wife and daughter—are also among the dead.
The violence marks Tehran’s most devastating experience of war since the Iran-Iraq conflict in the 1980s, with many victims killed in their own homes. Iran’s retaliatory strikes killed 28 people in Israel, according to official figures.