Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has vowed that the nation will never surrender, delivering a forceful national address just one day after former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” via a Truth Social post.

“Let the Americans know that the Iranian nation is not one to surrender,” Khamenei declared on Wednesday, June 18. “Any military intervention on their part will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage.”

The speech marked only Khamenei’s second public appearance since Israel’s large-scale strike on Iran last week, and came amid rising tensions across the Middle East.

“Those who are wise and familiar with Iran — its people and its history — know better than to speak to this nation in the language of threats,” he added.

Khamenei’s remarks were a direct response to Trump’s statement on Tuesday, in which the former president described the Iranian leader as “an easy target” for the U.S. and Israel and reiterated his demand for Iran’s total capitulation.

As military rhetoric intensifies and regional instability deepens, Khamenei’s defiant tone signals a firm rejection of Western pressure and underscores the growing geopolitical rift between Tehran and Washington.