Iran accuses US of destroying trust after Khamenei killing

Monday 02 March 2026 - 08:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Iran accuses US of destroying trust after Khamenei killing

Iran’s foreign minister has accused the United States of eliminating any remaining trust after joint US and Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran during a period of indirect contacts between the two countries.

Abbas Araghchi told ABC’s This Week that Iran had entered negotiations with Washington twice in the past year and that on both occasions US forces launched attacks while talks were still underway. He said the pattern convinced Tehran that certain actors were working to derail diplomacy and push President Donald Trump toward what he described as an unprovoked assault on Iran.

Araghchi said Iran’s response to the killing of Khamenei and other senior officials constitutes legitimate self defense. He rejected warnings from Trump that further Iranian action would trigger unprecedented force, stating that no foreign leader can deny a nation the right to defend itself. He said Iran would take any measures necessary to protect its population and leadership.

The foreign minister acknowledged that several senior commanders were killed in the initial wave of strikes, known as Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury, the code names used by Israel and the United States. However, he said Iran’s military capabilities remain operational and more responsive than during its 2025 confrontation with Israel. According to Araghchi, Iranian forces have improved the speed, scale and precision of their counterstrikes, and command structures and missile units continue to function despite the strike on Khamenei’s compound in central Tehran.

Tehran has since launched multiple waves of missiles and drones at what it describes as US military facilities and Israeli targets across the Gulf. Iranian officials say sites in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar that host American forces have been targeted. Explosions and air defense activity have been reported in Dubai and Doha, as well as near US installations in Kuwait, while Israel has carried out additional strikes on Tehran.

Iranian state media and regional authorities report dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries linked to the initial US Israeli operation and the subsequent exchanges. The escalating attacks have raised concern that the confrontation could expand into a prolonged regional conflict.

Araghchi said diplomatic channels are severely damaged. He indicated that Iran is reluctant to resume talks under current conditions and would require firm guarantees that negotiations would not be used as cover for further military action. While he did not rule out future engagement, both sides are continuing to exchange threats as missile and drone strikes persist across the Middle East.