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Iranwire – As Iran and the United States entered a second round of indirect talks in Geneva, the Leader of the Islamic Republic struck a sharply confrontational tone toward Washington. Pointing to the presence of American military equipment near Iran, he said, “A warship is, of course, a dangerous tool – but more dangerous than a warship is the weapon that can send it to the bottom of the sea.”
Ali Khamenei is the Supreme Leader of Iran, holding the highest political and religious authority in the country. His rhetoric often balances “resistance” (military defiance) with “diplomacy.” By threatening warships, he is likely referring to Iran’s arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles and “suicide” drones, which the IRGC (Revolutionary Guard) frequently touts as a counter to the U.S. Navy’s presence in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman.
On Tuesday, February 17, speaking to a group of residents from East Azerbaijan at the Khomeini Husseiniyeh in Tehran, Khamenei responded to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump about American military power. He said, “Even the strongest army in the world might be slapped and be unable to get back up.”
The Khomeini Husseiniyeh serves as the Supreme Leader’s official meeting hall in Tehran. Gatherings with residents from specific provinces – such as East Azerbaijan in this instance – are carefully staged events designed to project an image of national unity.
Khamenei also referred to Trump’s remarks regarding “regime change” in Iran, stating that the United States has been unable to overthrow the Islamic Republic over the past 47 years, and asserted: “It will not be able to do so in the future either.”
In another part of his speech, the Leader of the Islamic Republic referred to the nationwide January protests as fitna (sedition) and divided the dead into three categories: security forces, bystanders, and those who, in his words, had been “deceived” into taking part in the demonstrations. He said he regards these three groups as “martyrs,” excluding only those he described as the “leaders of the sedition” and individuals connected to foreign enemies
Fitna is a heavy theological term meaning “sedition” or “temptation” that causes social chaos. By labeling protesters as “deceived,” the Leader attempts to strip them of their political agency, suggesting they are victims of Western propaganda rather than individuals with genuine grievances. Defining them as “martyrs” is a strategic move to co-opt their deaths and prevent their families from becoming symbols of the opposition.
He also made a claim that had not previously been reported in the media, saying that some protesters had written letters to him after their release expressing regret. Offering no evidence to support the assertion, he added that the Islamic Republic is not separate from the people and that “the Islamic Republic means the Iranian nation.”
He made these remarks at a time of rising tensions between Tehran and Washington, just ahead of a new round of indirect negotiations, with both sides underscoring their military preparedness.
