Trump and Ayatollah’s war continues

Everyone has their own “truth,” while the real truth remains hidden in a corner. These words are particularly relevant to the current rhetoric between the Iranian and U.S. leaderships over who emerged victorious in the 12-day Iran-Israel war. Both sides are “pulling the blanket over themselves.” For instance, shortly after the war ended, Iran’s Supreme Leader was one of the first to declare the outcome a victory for his side. Ayatollah Khamenei, who made only two public statements during the 12-day conflict and remained largely absent from the international stage, made his first post-war appearance on June 26. In this address, he congratulated the Iranian people on what he described as a triumph. His second statement, published shortly after, extended that claim of “victory” to include the United States as well.

Meanwhile, in the Western Hemisphere, Donald Trump’s role in halting the Iran-Israel war has come under heavy criticism. Trump once again used his trademark phrase, calling the confrontation between the two countries “kids fighting in a schoolyard.” He portrayed himself as the authoritative figure who allowed the skirmish to play out before stepping in to separate them. Even at the NATO summit, alliance leader Mark Rutte likened Trump to a “tough dad,” a comparison that quickly gained traction in global media coverage. Understandably, these portrayals did not sit well with Iran’s Supreme Leader, who warned Trump not to exaggerate his role in the conflict.

The U.S. President, known for voicing opinions on everything from global environmental issues to minor international controversies, could not resist responding to Khamenei. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump directly accused the Iranian leader of spreading falsehoods.

“Why did Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ of war-torn Iran, openly and foolishly claim that Iran won the war with Israel, even though he knew that his statement was false?” Trump wrote. “In fact, it was not. As a man of great faith, he should not lie. His country was destroyed, and his three evil nuclear facilities were destroyed.”

Trump further claimed that he knew where Khamenei had taken shelter during the war but chose not to eliminate him. According to Trump, he spared the Ayatollah from a “terrible and disgusting death.”

“I knew exactly where he was hiding, and I did not allow the Israeli or U.S. Armed Forces to end his life. I saved him from a terrible and disgusting death. He does not have to thank me for that,” Trump wrote.

In addition, Trump asserted that during the final stages of the war, he intervened to stop a large number of Israeli planes from bombing Tehran—an act which, according to him, prevented an unprecedented catastrophe for Iran.

“In fact, in the final act of the war, I demanded that Israel turn back a very large group of aircraft that were headed straight for Tehran, probably waiting for the final knockout blow. Otherwise, Iran would have suffered great damage and many Iranians would have died. This would have been the largest attack of the war so far,” Trump stated.

Donald Trump also managed to send a strong signal to Iran. In his post, the U.S. President said he had recently been working hard to lift sanctions on Tehran. However, after receiving no positive response from Iranian authorities, he decided to immediately halt those efforts.

“Over the past few days, I have been working on lifting sanctions and other things. This would have given Iran a much better chance of a quick and full recovery. But no—instead, I was met with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and I have immediately stopped all work on easing sanctions,” Trump wrote.

Trump also warned that Iran must integrate into the international community more swiftly or risk facing severe consequences. He concluded by expressing hope that Iran’s leadership would recognize the need for cooperation over confrontation.

“Iran needs to get back into the flow of the world order, or it will get worse for them. They are always very angry and unhappy. And look what this has brought them—a burned, exploded, futureless, destroyed military, a terrible economy, and death all around them. They have no hope, and it will get worse! If only the Iranian leadership would understand that they need honey instead of vinegar! PEACE!!!” Trump wrote at the end of his post.

This ongoing exchange has become a kind of virtual battle between 79-year-old U.S. President Donald Trump and 86-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The two leaders, both eager to claim “victory,” have now shifted the war to social media, continuing their rivalry through a series of posts.

Meanwhile, Israel—arguably the biggest player in the conflict that has become known as the 12-Day War—has been relatively quiet about any claims of victory. Instead, Israeli officials are focused on assessing the heavy losses caused by the war they initiated. According to Shai Aaronovich, head of the Israeli Tax Authority, the damages from the conflict represent the largest material loss in the country's history. However, there are differing estimates regarding the total financial toll. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that the cost of the war could reach \$12 billion, while Amir Yaron, Governor of the Central Bank of Israel, offered a more conservative estimate of around \$6 billion. Regardless of the numbers, there is little doubt that Israel has sustained significant losses.

According to "Bloomberg", citing data from Israel’s Ministry of Finance and the Tax Authority, the state will spend \$3 billion solely on repairing missile-damaged buildings and compensating local businesses. This figure does not include the cost of weapons used in the conflict or future investments in Israel’s air defense systems—systems that had been upgraded over the past decade but ultimately proved ineffective against Iranian missile strikes. Israel’s economic challenges are mounting in the wake of this war. While the Central Bank had previously projected GDP growth of 3.5 percent for 2025, this forecast is now likely to be revised downward. The scale and intensity of this war far exceed that of past military operations, largely because the devastation unfolded directly on Israeli soil. Unlike previous campaigns in Gaza or southern and central Lebanon, the missiles fired from Iran targeted densely populated areas, including the Tel Aviv metropolitan region—home to over half of the country’s population. For many Israelis, the conflict marked the first time they experienced the terror of war firsthand—watching homes burn, hearing explosions nearby, and witnessing the fear and desperation in their own neighborhoods. This has led to a deeper public reckoning with the reality of war, and a clearer understanding of its human cost.