Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused US President Donald Trump on Thursday of exaggerating the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, in his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel took hold.
In a televised speech, Khamenei hailed what he described as Iran's "victory" over Israel, vowed never to yield to US pressure and insisted Washington had been dealt a humiliating "slap".
"The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration," Khamenei said, rejecting US claims Iran's nuclear programme had been set back by decades.
The strikes, he insisted, had done "nothing significant" to Iran's nuclear infrastructure.
Trump, however, maintained the US attacks were devastating.
The US president said key facilities, including the underground Fordo uranium enrichment site, had been "obliterated" by American B-2 bombers.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump dismissed speculation Iran might have removed enriched uranium prior to the raid, saying: "Nothing was taken out... too dangerous, and very heavy and hard to move!"
He added that satellite images showed trucks at the site only because Iranian crews were attempting to shield the facility with concrete.
Khamenei dismissed such claims, saying "the Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America".
His remarks followed the end of a 12-day war between Iran and Israel -- the deadliest between the two countries to date.
Both sides have claimed victory: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "historic win", while Khamenei said Iran's missile retaliation had brought Israel to the brink of collapse.
US defence
In Washington, the true impact of the strikes has sparked sharp political and intelligence debates.
A leaked classified assessment suggested the damage to Iran's nuclear programme may be less severe than initially claimed -- possibly delaying progress by only a few months.
This assessment contrasts with statements from senior US officials.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said several facilities would need to be "rebuilt over the course of years".
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth accused the media of misrepresenting the operation.
He said the United States used massive GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs on Fordo and another underground site, while submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles targeted a third facility.
"President Trump created the conditions to end the war, decimating -- choose your word -- obliterating, destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities," Hegseth said.
Doubts remain about whether Iran quietly removed some 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of enriched uranium from its most sensitive sites before the strikes -- potentially hiding nuclear material elsewhere in the country.
Netanyahu says Iran 'thwarted'
Following waves of Israeli attacks on nuclear and military sites and retaliatory missile fire from Iran since mid-June, the US bombed three key Iranian atomic facilities.
Initial intelligence reports, first revealed by CNN, suggested the strikes did not destroy critical components and delayed Iran's nuclear programme only by months.
Experts questioned if Iran had pre-emptively moved enriched uranium to protect it. The US administration has forcefully rejected such suggestions.
Trump described the attack as having "obliterated" Iran's nuclear facilities, including the Fordo site, which is buried inside a mountain, and claimed it had set back the program by "decades".
The Israeli military said it delivered a "significant" blow to Iran's nuclear sites but cautioned it was "still early" to fully assess the damage.
Netanyahu said Israel had "thwarted Iran's nuclear project", warning any attempt by Iran to rebuild it would be met with the same determination and intensity.
Nuclear talks?
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told Al Jazeera that "nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure".
After the war derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, Trump said Washington would hold discussions with Tehran next week, with his special envoy Steve Witkoff expressing hope "for a comprehensive peace agreement".
Trump told reporters Israel and Iran were "both tired, exhausted", before going on to say that talks were planned with Iran next week.
"We may sign an agreement. I don't know," he added.
Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon while defending its "legitimate rights" to the peaceful use of atomic energy.
It has also said it is willing to return to nuclear negotiations with Washington.
The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran's health ministry said.
Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures.
A state funeral will be held on Saturday in Tehran for top commanders and nuclear scientists killed in the war.
with AFP
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