International
-Ashish Rana
Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has claimed Tehran delivered a “decisive blow” to the United States and Israel, even as peace talks stall and fresh strikes hit Bahrain and Kuwait, deepening tensions across West Asia and complicating efforts to reach any US-Iran deal.
Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei claims victory over the US and Israel as peace talks stall, punctuated by strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait; Iran seeks frozen asset release and a Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire, while the US links progress to nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz.
In new remarks shared on social media, Khamenei again labelled the US and Israel as the “malicious enemy” and accused both of trying to weaken unity inside Iran by “sowing the seeds of doubt, despair, fear, mistrust, & discord” among the population during the current regional confrontation.
Iran leader’s claims and West Asia tensions
According to Khamenei, “The malicious enemy has been defeated in its confrontation with the Armed Forces. Since it has received a decisive blow both in military combat and in [Iran’s] public squares and streets, it’s experiencing a profound, significant humiliation,” remarks that were recited at Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s mausoleum on the 37th anniversary of Khomeini’s death.
Reports state the comments were delivered by a prayer leader at the site of the Islamic revolution’s founder and later circulated on X, while Mojtaba Khamenei, who has stayed out of public view since assuming the supreme leadership, continues to be described as active behind closed doors in discussions on a possible US-Iran peace deal.
Iran US-Iran deal terms and negotiations
Diplomatic sources say Iran insists any overall peace arrangement in West Asia must settle the conflict involving Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Tehran also demands access to “liquid cash” from billions of dollars in frozen assets, treating this release as part of the agreement’s first phase.
| Issue | Iran position | US position |
|---|---|---|
| Hezbollah-Israel conflict | Ceasefire and resolution included in peace deal | Linked to wider talks, not yet agreed |
| Frozen assets | Immediate “liquid cash” release in Phase A | No upfront financial concessions |
| Nuclear questions | Part of broader framework | Require clear consensus before concessions |
| Strait of Hormuz | Linked to regional security | Reopening tied to security guarantees |
Intermediaries have spent several days attempting to bridge differences over the first-phase funds, but diplomats say there has been no progress because Iran continues to demand advance cash, while Washington refuses any financial step without movement on nuclear issues or clarity on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait during talks
Both sides are now reviewing draft texts passed through intermediaries, with President Trump expressing hope for a quick outcome, yet Tehran still treats the release of money and a full ceasefire in Lebanon as central conditions for any negotiated peace, slowing momentum around the broader US-Iran deal.
Fresh Iranian strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait, earlier reported by HT, have coincided with these stalled efforts despite President Trump’s public insistence that talks are active: “The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago and today,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump added, “Where they lead, one never knows, but as I told Iran, ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal,” yet AFP, citing an official, reported there was no communication between Tehran and Washington on Tuesday because Iran demanded a Lebanon ceasefire before any further talks.
Qatar’s former prime minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani criticised Iran’s strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait as “astonishing” and “unjustifiable”, raising doubts about whether the operation had been pre-planned, while Bahrain later detained 15 people accused of working with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps only hours after the attacks.
Khamenei’s claims of victory over the “malicious enemy”, Iran’s conditions on Hezbollah and frozen assets, the pause in US-Iran contacts, and Iran’s strikes on Bahrain and Kuwait, followed by arrests tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, together underline how regional tensions and distrust continue to obstruct any near-term peace deal.
