Khamenei posted ‘Iran Does Not Surrender’ before Trump announced Iran-Israel ceasefire

Just an hour before US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran on Truth Social, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday (June 23) sent out a defiant message, asserting that the Iranian nation “isn’t a nation that surrenders.” His post came a few hours after Iran launched missiles at US air bases in Qatar and Iraq in response to the bombings of its nuclear sites by the American Air Force and Navy in the early hours of June 22.

Khamenei’s post on X came just before Trump wrote “CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT’S TIME FOR PEACE!” on Truth Social and two hours before the US President claimed the two warring Middle Eastern countries had agreed to a ceasefire.

Also Read: Trump claims ceasefire between Israel and Iran, ending 12-day war



Khamenei’s statement read: “Those who know the Iranian people and their history know that the Iranian nation isn’t a nation that surrenders.”

Trump, using his social media platform, later declared an end to what he called the “12 Day War,” crediting both Israel and Iran for averting a wider Middle East conflict.

He said Iran would begin the ceasefire, followed by Israel 12 hours later, with the war officially ending after a full day of calm.

A senior Iranian official also confirmed to Reuters that Tehran had agreed to the ceasefire, which was reportedly mediated by Qatar. However no official confirmation came from either side.

According to the report, Trump had reached out to Qatar’s Emir after Israel’s consent, asking for help in persuading Iran to stand down. Qatar’s close ties with Tehran helped facilitate a swift agreement, the official said.

As of now, the ceasefire’s implementation timeline is expected to begin within hours.

How did the US join the Israel-Iran war?

The conflict began with major Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure starting June 13, 2025. Iran retaliated in Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa.

On June 21, 2025, the United States escalated its involvement by launching precision airstrikes on three of Iran’s nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. President Donald Trump announced the operation as a “very successful attack,” deploying B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-buster munitions.

In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military facility in the Middle East, though the attack was intercepted and caused no injuries. Gulf nations temporarily closed their airspace in solidarity but reopened it after a few hours. The US Embassy in Doha lifted its shelter-in-place order after Iran provided advance warning of the missile strike, which allowed for effective interception.

On June 23, after days of heavy exchanges, Trump announced a “complete and total” ceasefire, brokered by Qatar. But Iran’s foreign minister denied that any formal agreement had been reached.