White House Responds to Khamenei: America's Strikes Deliver Unforgettable Blow

The White House accused the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, of trying to save face after downplaying the impact of recent American military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, in his first appearance since the recent military escalation.

White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt said in a press conference: "We saw the video of the Ayatollah... and when you have a comprehensive system, you have to save face," in reference to what Washington considered Khamenei's attempt to minimize the losses and impacts resulting from the American attack.

Khamenei had stated in a televised speech that the United States "achieved no success" in the strikes carried out against Iran during the recent war with Israel, affirming that his country delivered what he described as a "slap in America's face".

President Donald Trump was accused of seeking a "media spectacle" by Khamenei, downplaying the effectiveness of those attacks, saying that "Washington exaggerated the importance of its attacks on our nuclear facilities".

Khamenei also pointed out that Iran demonstrated its ability to target American bases in the region, noting that the attack on the "Adey" base caused significant damage, and any new targeting of Iran "will be met with repeated targeting of American bases".

Similarly, the Iranian Supreme Leader claimed that his country's forces managed to penetrate Israeli defenses and struck military and civilian areas inside Israel, stating that the strikes "destroyed Israeli military capabilities" and that "Tel Aviv did not expect to receive severe blows from Tehran".

These statements, which came after the American strikes, were seen by the American administration as an attempt to lessen the impact of the American military response and maintain Iran's image in front of its people and the world, amidst escalating tensions in the region.