Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused Israel of launching last month’s attacks to destabilize Iran’s leadership. Speaking to judiciary officials on Wednesday, he said the real aim behind Israel’s 12-day bombing campaign was to weaken Iran’s political system and trigger public unrest.
According to Khamenei, the strikes specifically targeted key individuals and sensitive sites in an attempt to provoke street protests and bring down the Islamic Republic. He called the assault a calculated move to incite regime change, stating, “The plan was to stir unrest and overthrow the system.”
The conflict, which began on June 13, saw Israel bomb military and nuclear sites in Iran, killing over 1,000 people, including senior officials and scientists.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had suggested during the war that the strikes “could” lead to regime change in Iran.
Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks, killing 28 in Israel. Later, the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, prompting Iran to fire missiles at an American airbase in Qatar.
Khamenei called the response a “big blow” to the U.S. and warned of stronger future retaliation if provoked.
Although a ceasefire has held since June 24, nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. remain stalled. Iran’s parliament has now ruled out further dialogue unless unspecified preconditions are met. Khamenei emphasized that Iran would approach both diplomacy and defense from “a position of strength.”