Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to X (formerly Twitter) to deride U.S. President Donald Trump’s boast about bombing and destroying Iran’s nuclear industry. In a tweet, Khamenei wrote: “The US President boasts that ‘we bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry.’ Very well, keep living in that illusion!” The post, viewed over 800,000 times, came amid escalating tensions following Israel’s June 2025 airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump has repeatedly cited as a success in crippling Tehran’s program.
Khamenei’s sarcasm highlights Iran’s defiance, with state media claiming the strikes caused minimal damage and that the nuclear program has fully recovered. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization announced on September 30, 2025, that uranium enrichment has resumed at 60% purity, nearing weapons-grade levels, defying UN resolutions. Trump, in a recent speech, reiterated, “We bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry,” crediting the operation with averting a nuclear threat.
The tweet, Khamenei’s first public response to the strikes, signals ongoing retaliation risks, with Iran-backed proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis escalating attacks. The U.S., under Trump, has bolstered Israel’s defenses, but experts warn of a potential broader conflict.
