Iran's Khamenei declares victory in first post-war statement
Welcome back to the Daily Briefing.
This is Rosaleen Carroll, filling in for Gabrielle.
In today’s edition:
- Iran’s Khamenei makes first public statement since end of war with Israel
- Trump says US will meet with Iran next week
- Saudi Arabia drops France’s EDF from Neom megaproject
- 44 Gazans killed overnight as Israel sees highest death toll since March
- Iranian defense minister visits China
I highlight these top stories below.
Thanks for reading,
Rosaleen (@roscarroll_)
In first statement since end of war, Khamenei declares victory
A poster depicting US President Donald Trump prostrating in front of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hangs in a southern Beirut suburb.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory in the 12-day war with Israel in a televised address Thursday.
“The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America’s face,” Khamenei said. He warned that the US would pay a “heavy price” should it strike Iran again.
He added that Israel “was nearly destroyed and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic,” according to state news agency IRNA.
Khamenei had not been seen publicly since the war began on June 13 with surprise Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites.
Trump says US to meet Iran 'next week' amid strike damage doubts
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters about the Israel-Iran conflict aboard Air Force One on June 24, 2025. — BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images
President Donald Trump said Wednesday the United States and Iran will meet for a new round of negotiations next week but questioned whether a nuclear agreement is needed after US strikes “obliterated” the program.
Speaking at NATO, the president said that “We’re going to talk with them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement, I don’t know.” Iran has not confirmed the meeting.
Starting in April, the US and Iran held five rounds of nuclear negotiations before war broke out on June 13, just before a scheduled sixth round of talks. Read Elizabeth Hagedorn’s report.
France's EDF reportedly dropped from Saudi Neom project
A planned design for The Line at Neom. — NEOM
Saudi Arabia has dropped French energy major EDF from the $1.5 trillion Neom project, according to a report, as the kingdom continues to scale back its budget and adjust its ambitions for the much-vaunted futuristic desert megacity.
EDF was chosen by the Saudi government in January 2024 to carry out preliminary studies on the conception and construction of a hydroelectric power plant in Neom, a city in the kingdom's northeast Tabuk region to be run entirely on renewable energy.
Radio France reported Tuesday that the Saudi authorities had canceled the contract in March.
Neom is the kingdom’s flagship gigaproject under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the country’s economy away from reliance on oil. But there have been reports that Saudi Arabia has had to scale back its goals due to rising costs and a rising budget deficit. Read Jack Dutton’s report.
War in Gaza continues as Iran-Israel ceasefire holds
Aid distribution in Gaza has been marred by chaotic scenes and nearly daily deaths — Eyad BABA
According to Palestinian news agency Wafa, 44 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since dawn on Thursday, following a day of heavy Israeli casualties in the Strip on Tuesday.
Wafa reported that the deaths were the result of Israeli airstrikes and shelling near Gaza City and Khan Younis.
A lieutenant, three staff sergeants and three sergeants were killed when an explosive device in the vehicle caught fire, the Israeli military said on Wednesday, marking the deadliest day in Gaza for Israeli soldiers since Israel and Hamas brokered a now-defunct ceasefire in March.
Iran defense chief visits China in first trip since war with Israel
Iran Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh pictured here in September 2021. — Mehr News Agency
Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh is in China for his first official foreign visit since Iran's 12-day war with Israel ended on Tuesday.
Nasirzadeh arrived on Wednesday in Qingdao, China, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Defense Ministers’ Meeting, which will take place from Wednesday to Thursday.
On the sidelines of the meeting on Wednesday, Nasirzadeh held a separate meeting with Dong, during which Nasirzadeh thanked China for supporting Iran amid the latest conflict, and he reportedly urged China to "continue to back justice and play a greater role in maintaining the current ceasefire and easing regional tensions,” according to China Daily. Read Rosaleen Carroll’s report.