Khamenei talks tough

Iran's supreme leader warns against further American attacks in his first statement since ceasefire

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday his country had delivered a “slap to America's face” with its strike on an American base in Qatar, and warned against any further US attacks in his first public comments since a ceasefire was declared with Israel after 12 days of war.

Khamenei spoke in a recorded video broadcast on Iranian state television, his first appearance since June 19. The 86-year-old looked and sounded more tired than he did only a week ago, speaking in a hoarse voice and occasionally stumbling over his words.

The more-than 10 minute speech by the supreme leader was filled with warnings and threats directed toward the United States and Israel.

He downplayed Sunday's US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites using bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles, saying that US President Donald Trump — who said the attack “completely and fully obliterated Iran's nuclear programme — had “exaggerated” its impact.

“They could not achieve anything significant,” he said.

UN nuclear watchdog confirms damage to Iran sites

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency Director Rafael Grossi, reiterated Thursday that the damage done by Israeli and US strikes at Iranian nuclear facilities “is very, very, very considerable.”

“I think annihilated is too much but it suffered enormous damage,” Grossi told French broadcaster RFI.