TL;DR: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the U.S. a "true manifestation of terrorism" during an October 20 speech in Tehran, accusing America of supporting Israel's war in Gaza, creating ISIS, and targeting Iranian civilians and scientists.
Khamenei's Accusations Against the U.S.
- On October 20, 2025, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, "The US is a true manifestation of terrorism," during a speech in Tehran to athletes and academic medalists.
- He accused the U.S. of being a main accomplice in the Gaza war, claiming it provided weapons to Israel used in attacks on civilians.
- Khamenei said, "More than 20,000 children and infants were martyred in the Gaza war. Were they terrorists?" adding that the U.S. "creates ISIS and throws it at the region's life."
- He blamed the U.S. for assassinating Iranian scientists, including Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi, and said, "They cannot assassinate science."
- Regarding nuclear policy, he said, "What business is it of yours if a country has a nuclear industry to tell them what they should and shouldn't do?"
- Khamenei criticized U.S. President Donald Trump, calling his behavior arrogant and deceitful, and said, "Let him go calm the millions of people who are chanting slogans against him in all US states."
- He rejected any U.S.-Iran deal based on pressure, stating, "If a deal is accompanied by bullying... it is not a deal but imposition and bullying. The Iranian nation will not accept imposition."
Broader Context and Background
- Khamenei reaffirmed Iran’s view that U.S. military bases and interventions cause war and instability in the Middle East, saying, "You start wars... America is a warmonger."
- The speech aligns with Iran’s long-standing anti-U.S. stance, especially amid the ongoing Gaza war and rising regional tensions involving groups backed by Iran.