'In Your Dreams': Khamenei Rubbishes Trump's Nuclear 'Obliteration' Claim, Accuses US of 'Terrorism' and Warmongering

Updated 21 October 2025 at 17:39 IST Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed the remarks made by United States President Donald Trump about destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities and also rejected Trump's offer to restart nuclear talks. Iranian state media IRNA on Tuesday criticised the US for its "interventionist and bullying stance" on Iran's nuclear program. Khamenei referred to Trump's claim about the "obliteration" of Iran's nuclear facilities in airstrikes by Washington and Tel Aviv during the 12-day war of aggression launched by Israel in June this year. "Keep dreaming. But who are you, anyway, to set dos and don'ts for a country simply because it possesses a nuclear industry? What does it have to do with the United States whether Iran has nuclear capabilities or not? Such interference is inappropriate, wrong, and bullying," Ayatollah Khamenei was cited as saying by IRNA. Iran's supreme leader further took a jibe at Trump, stating, "If he is truly powerful, let him calm the millions of people in all US states who are chanting against him." In a post on X, Khamenei said, "The US President boasts that they’ve bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, in your dreams!" "We’re in the midst of a soft war. In a soft war, the enemy tries to make the people depressed and to lose all hope of their own abilities," Khamenei said at an indirect jab at Trump. He posted a series of tweets to level several allegations against Trump while sharply questioning the US' authority to dictate to other nations and asked what business it has involving itself in Iran's nuclear capabilities. He also called the US "a true manifestation of terrorism" and accused it of coercion. He, however, made it clear that the coercion tactic won't work with Iran.  Top quotes of Khamenei from the posts:   1. "What authority do you, Americans, have to dictate what a country should or shouldn't do if it possesses nuclear industry? What position do you hold in the world? How is it any of America's business whether Iran has nuclear capabilities and nuclear industry or not?" 2. "The US is a true manifestation of terrorism." 3. "He (Trump) claims that he’s on the Iranian people’s side. He’s lying! Who are the US sanctions directed against? They’re against the Iranian people. You’re the enemy of the Iranian nation. You aren’t a friend of the Iranian nation." 4. "The US President says that he makes deals and wants to make a deal with Iran. “Dealing” where the outcome is predetermined using coercion isn’t a way of dealing. It’s a way of imposing something, and the Iranian nation will never submit to such impositions." 5. "The US President points out that there are wars going on in West Asia. Well, you’re the ones who start the wars. In fact, it’s the US that starts and creates the wars. In addition to their acts of terrorism, they’re a warmonger. What’s the purpose of all their military bases?" 6. "Why has the US established all these military bases in various countries throughout West Asia? What are you doing here? What does this region have to do with you?" 7. "Coercion may be effective when used against certain nations, but it will never be effective against the Iranian nation, by the Grace of God." 8. "The US President tried to give hope and boost the morale of the disappointed Zionists in Occupied Palestine with a handful of empty words and his buffoonery. This is my analysis of the US President’s trip to Occupied Palestine." 9. "During the 12-Day War, the Zionists were struck such a hard blow that they couldn’t believe it. They weren’t expecting it, and they’ve lost hope. The US President traveled to occupied Palestine to pull them out of their despair." 10. "The Zionists didn’t expect that a missile built by the hands of the Iranian youth could with its flames and its fire reduce the depths of some of their sensitive research centers to ashes. But that’s what happened." 11. "Iranian missiles were able to penetrate into the depths of several of the Zionist regime's important centers to destroy them. These missiles were built by young Iranians. We didn’t buy them from anywhere else." 12. "Iranian missiles were able to destroy the depths of some of the Zionist regime's important centers. The Armed Forces used these missiles, and they will use them again later should the need arise." 13. "The US is undeniably the main accomplice in the war crimes taking place in Gaza." 14. "US resources and weaponry have been made abundantly available to the Zionist regime so they could be dropped on the defenseless people of Gaza. The US is an accomplice in this crime." 15. "The US President says that they’re fighting terrorism. But more than 20,000 children and infants have been martyred in these attacks. Were these children terrorists?" 16. "Children as young as four years old, five years old, and newborns – you’ve killed [over] 20,000 of them! Were these children terrorists? You’re the terrorists!" 17. "You, the US, are the terrorists who’ve created Daesh and unleashed them on West Asia. You keep them in reserve to use them one day. A number of the Daesh elements are currently in the control of the US. They’re being held somewhere to be used wherever they wish at any time." Khamenei also rejected President Trump's offer to restart nuclear talks. Iranian state media IRNA on Tuesday criticised the US for its "interventionist and bullying stance" on Iran's nuclear program. "Keep dreaming. But who are you, anyway, to set dos and don'ts for a country simply because it possesses a nuclear industry? What does it have to do with the United States whether Iran has nuclear capabilities or not? Such interference is inappropriate, wrong, and bullying," Ayatollah Khamenei was cited as saying by IRNA.