Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has intensified his defiant rhetoric against the United States, asserting that Washington will “never succeed” in toppling the Islamic Republic despite the resumption of high-stakes nuclear negotiations. Speaking on Tuesday as indirect talks between Tehran and Washington entered a critical technical phase in Geneva, Khamenei directly challenged President Donald Trump’s recent warnings of regime change, characterizing the U.S. leader’s admission of a 47-year failure to eliminate the Iranian government as a “good confession.” The Supreme Leader further warned that while the U.S. may boast the world’s strongest military, even the most powerful forces can suffer “crippling blows,” pointedly noting that the American warships currently deployed in the Gulf are vulnerable to Iranian weapons capable of sending them to the “bottom of the sea.”
Despite this sharp exchange of warnings, diplomatic channels remain active under Omani mediation, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reporting that both sides have reached a general understanding on “guiding principles” for a potential deal. These negotiations, the first significant diplomatic effort since the military escalations of 2025, are strictly focused on Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of economic sanctions, pointedly excluding discussions on domestic protests or regional proxy activities. While U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have expressed cautious optimism that a military clash may be averted, they maintain that “red lines” regarding uranium enrichment remain. As both delegations prepare to exchange draft texts and resume detailed discussions in two weeks, the atmosphere remains a volatile mix of “force-based diplomacy” and brinkmanship, with Iran conducting live-fire missile drills in the Strait of Hormuz to underscore its refusal to negotiate under the pressure of “unrealistic demands.”
