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19 Jul 2025 20:06
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  •   Home > News > International

    Iranian supreme leader makes first public appearance since war with Israel

    A video on state TV shows Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waving to a crowd at a religious ceremony in Tehran, his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began.


    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made his first public appearance since the 12-day war between Israel and Iran began, according to state media.

    A video carried by Iranian TV on Saturday showed the ayatollah waving to a chanting crowd, which rose to its feet as he entered and sat at a mosque next to his residence in Tehran.

    The dozens in attendance were there to mark Ashura, the holiest day of the Shiite Muslim calendar, which commemorates the death of Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Hussein.

    There was no immediate report of the ayatollah making a public statement. 

    For apparent security reasons, the Ayatollah had avoided public appearances and issued pre-taped messages during the war with Israel, which started on June 13.

    The 86-year-old reportedly spent the war in a bunker as threats to his life escalated.

    After the US inserted itself into the war by bombing three key nuclear sites in Iran, President Donald Trump warned the Iranian leader he knew where he was but did not plan to kill him, "at least for now".

    On June 26, shortly after a ceasefire began, the ayatollah made his first public statement in days, saying in a pre-recording that Iran delivered a "slap to America's face" by striking a US air base in Qatar.

    He also warned the US and Israel would pay a "heavy price" for any further attacks on Iran.

    Mr Trump replied in remarks to reporters and on social media: "Look, you're a man of great faith. A man who's highly respected in his country. You have to tell the truth. You got beat to hell."

    Iran has acknowledged the deaths of more than 900 people in the war, as well as thousands of injured. 

    It also has confirmed serious damage to its nuclear facilities. However it has denied inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog access to the facilities.

    Iran's president on Wednesday ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

    The move further limits inspectors' ability to track a program that had been enriching uranium to near-weapons-grade levels. 

    Israel launched its war on Iran saying that the country was trying to develop atomic weapons.

    It remains unclear just how badly damaged the nuclear facilities are, and whether any enriched uranium or centrifuges had been moved before the attacks.

    It also remains unclear whether Tehran would be willing to continue negotiating with the US over its nuclear program.

    Israel also targeted defence systems, high-ranking military officials and atomic scientists during its attacks. 

    In retaliation, Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of them intercepted, killing 28 people and causing damage in many areas.

    NetBlocks, a global internet monitor, reported late on Saturday that there was a "major disruption to internet connectivity" in Iran. 

    It said the disruption corroborated widespread user reports of problems accessing the internet. 

    The development came just weeks after authorities shut down telecoms during the war.

    Israel intercepts missile from Yemen

    Despite the ceasefire agreement pausing halting the war, Israel's military said on Sunday it intercepted a missile the Houthis, an Iran-aligned group in Yemen, fired at Israel.

    Sirens were activated across several areas in Israel in accordance with protocol, it said.

    Israel threatened the Houthis with a naval and air blockade if the attacks persisted.

    Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade.

    Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.

    ABC/wires


    ABC




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