Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, has issued a stark warning to the United States, declaring that Tehran possesses the capability to sink American warships and deliver a devastating blow to its military.
In a series of posts shared Tuesday on his official account on X (formerly Twitter), Khamenei dismissed Washington’s military presence in the Middle East as ineffective and ridiculed recent remarks attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump concerning the endurance of Iran’s political system.
“The U.S. President has said that for 47 years, the United States hasn’t been able to eliminate the Islamic Republic. That is a good confession,” Khamenei wrote, adding: “You, too, will not be able to do this.”
Addressing the repeated deployment of U.S. naval forces near Iranian waters, he acknowledged the destructive capability of American warships but insisted Iran holds superior deterrent power.
“The Americans constantly say they’ve sent a warship toward Iran… however, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea,” he stated.
Khamenei also challenged Washington’s claim of maintaining the world’s most powerful military, warning that even the strongest force could be struck “so hard that it cannot get up again.”
The remarks were delivered as he met thousands of residents from East Azerbaijan Province to commemorate the February 18, 1978 uprising in Tabriz.
The rhetoric comes amid heightened regional tensions and the longstanding geopolitical rivalry between Tehran and Washington.
While the U.S. has frequently deployed naval assets in the region as a deterrent measure, Iran’s leadership continues to project defiance, presenting its military capabilities as a key pillar of national sovereignty and regional influence.
