In a video broadcast by Iranian state media, Ayatollah Khamenei, 85, was seen greeting mourners at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosque. It was his first public outing since Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran starting June 13, targeting nuclear and military sites. His previous remarks had been pre-recorded, prompting speculation about his health and security.

US President Donald Trump had claimed during the war that American intelligence knew Khamenei's location but had “no plans to kill him, at least for now.”

War Casualties And Fallout

Iran acknowledged more than 900 deaths during the conflict and thousands of injuries. In retaliation, Iran’s missile strikes killed at least 28 people in Israel. The war ended in a ceasefire on June 24, but tensions remain unresolved.

Khamenei, in a prior recorded statement, dismissed US calls for Iran’s surrender and claimed Tehran had dealt a “slap to America’s face” by striking a US base in Qatar. Trump responded publicly, saying Iran “got beat to hell.”

Nuclear Oversight Collapses

Amid the fallout, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a law suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), leading the UN inspectors to leave Tehran. Director-General Rafael Grossi stressed the urgent need for dialogue to resume nuclear verification.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran remains committed to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), rejecting claims that Tehran would abandon international nuclear accords.

The US had been engaged in nuclear negotiations with Iran prior to the outbreak of hostilities.