In a message, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, celebrated Tehran‘s stance against the United States, saying the Iranian people have scored a “victory” against the US military.

“The United States did not achieve any strategic result from this war,” the 86-year-old leader said. According to him, Washington got involved in the conflict not for its own interests, but because “it felt that if it did not, Israel would be totally destroyed.”

Khamenei added that Iran’s stance “prevented the enemy from prevailing” and publicly congratulated his country’s citizens for their “strong resistance and morale”.

The statements come hours after US President Donald Trump announced a confirmed ceasefire, but violations on both sides followed.