Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has pushed back against recent warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, declaring that even the world’s most powerful military can be struck hard.
Speaking in Tehran on Tuesday, Khamenei dismissed Trump’s repeated claims about the strength of the U.S. armed forces. According to Iranian state media, he said that “the strongest military in the world may sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up,” insisting that Washington cannot destroy the Islamic Republic.
He further claimed that Iran possesses weapons capable of targeting U.S. aircraft carriers recently deployed to the Middle East
“They say they have sent an aircraft carrier toward Iran. An aircraft carrier is indeed a formidable asset. But more formidable is the weapon that can send it to the bottom of the sea,” he stated.
Khamenei made the remarks as Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, and his delegation began indirect negotiations with the United States in Geneva.
The comments come amid a significant U.S. military buildup in the region ahead of the talks. In recent days, Trump has warned that Iran would face “very steep” consequences if it fails to reach an agreement. Tehran, however, has maintained that it will not accept threats as part of negotiations and has vowed to respond forcefully to any potential attack.