Iran says Trump ‘exaggerated’ impact of US strikes on nuclear sites:Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday said US President Donald Trump “exaggerated” the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, in his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel took hold.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday said US President Donald Trump “exaggerated” the impact of US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, in his first appearance since a ceasefire in the war with Israel took hold.

In a statement and a televised speech carried by state media, he hailed his country’s “victory” over Israel and vowed never to surrender to the United States, while claiming that Washington had been dealt a “slap” after striking Iranian nuclear sites.

Khamenei’s remarks come two days after a ceasefire ended a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, the foes’ deadliest and most destructive confrontation in history.

It also follows a stinging row in the United States over the actual extent of the damage inflicted by American strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites during the conflict.

“The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways, and it turned out that he needed this exaggeration,” Khamenei said.

news conference at 8 am (1200 GMT) on Thursday to “fight for the dignity of our great American pilots”.

CIA chief John Ratcliffe said in a statement on Wednesday that “several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years”.

The Israeli military said it had delivered a “significant” blow to Iran’s nuclear sites but that it was “still early” to fully assess the damage.

Netanyahu announced that “we have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project”.

“And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he said.

Nuclear talks? –
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told Al Jazeera that “nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that’s for sure”.

After the war derailed nuclear talks between Iran and the United States, Trump said Washington would hold discussions with Tehran next week, with his special envoy Steve Witkoff expressing hope “for a comprehensive peace agreement”.

Trump told reporters that Israel and Iran were “both tired, exhausted”, before going on to say that talks were planned with Iran next week.

“We may sign an agreement. I don’t know,” he added.

Iran has systematically denied seeking a nuclear weapon while defending its “legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic energy.

It has also said it was willing to return to nuclear negotiations with Washington.

The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran’s health ministry said.

Iran’s attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to official figures.

A state funeral will be held on Saturday in Tehran for top commanders and nuclear scientists killed in the war.