A day after Mojtaba Khamenei vows revenge, Trump claims Iran ‘about to surrender’

US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran was “about to surrender” during a virtual meeting with leaders of the G7, even as Tehran signalled it would continue fighting in the escalating conflict involving the US and Israel.

According to reports, Trump made the remark during a closed-door call with G7 leaders, boasting about the impact of ongoing US military operations against Iran. He reportedly described the campaign as having eliminated a major threat and suggested that Tehran was close to capitulating under pressure from the strikes.

However, within about 24 hours, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a sharply contrasting message. In a statement broadcast on Iranian state media, he vowed that Iran would seek revenge for those killed in the attacks and continue resisting the US-Israel campaign.

Khamenei, who assumed leadership after the death of his father Ali Khamenei during the early phase of the war, has not appeared publicly since the conflict began. His remarks were delivered through a televised message, fuelling speculation about his health after reports suggested he may have been injured during earlier strikes.

In his first statement as supreme leader, Khamenei warned that Iran would not surrender and indicated the country could escalate the conflict further. Iranian officials have previously suggested that the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route, could be targeted or closed if attacks on Iran continue.

The latest exchange of statements highlights the sharply opposing narratives emerging from Washington and Tehran as the war intensifies. While the US administration has claimed that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely weakened, Iranian leaders have continued to project defiance and promise retaliation.

The conflict, which began after large-scale US-Israeli strikes on Iranian military and strategic targets in late February, has since expanded across the Middle East with missile attacks, drone strikes and disruptions to shipping lanes and energy infrastructure.

Analysts say the contrasting statements from Washington and Tehran illustrate how both sides are attempting to shape the narrative of the war even as military exchanges continue across the region.