President Donald Trump said Friday he had withdrawn plans to lift sanctions on Iran following a public rebuke from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, escalating tensions just days after a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

From Sanction Relief to Retaliatory Rhetoric

In a Truth Social post, Trump said he had been considering sanctions relief to help Iran “fully and quickly recover” after the 12-day war, but reversed course after Khamenei claimed Iran had won the conflict and dismissed the impact of U.S. strikes on nuclear facilities.

“But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust,” Trump wrote. “The sanctions are BITING!”

Trump Claims to Have Spared Khamenei

In a striking admission, Trump stated he had deliberately chosen not to target Khamenei despite knowing his location during the strikes. “I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered… and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces… terminate his life.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later confirmed that Khamenei was considered a target during the war.

Iran’s Defiance and U.S. Posturing

Khamenei’s declaration of victory and dismissal of U.S. damage claims appears to have fueled Trump’s reaction. While expressing a preference for diplomacy, Trump warned that Iran’s regime was weaker than at any time since the 1980s and that military options remained “on the table.”

Though Trump noted that “China can now continue to purchase oil from Iran,” sanctions across banking, energy, and nuclear sectors remain in place.