'US Heading Towards Collapse': What Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Said In Last Public Speech

As people across Iran and several other parts of the world mourn the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint military operation by Israel and the United States, a clip of his last public address has gone viral. Khamenei last appeared before the public on February 17, over ten days before Israel's US-backed strikes, his official website showed. 

He addressed a gathering in the East Azerbaijan Province, marking the anniversary of the 1978 Tabriz uprising. During his speech, Khamenei slammed the United States, saying the "empire was heading towards a collapse". He also criticised US President Donald Trump, saying that over half the US citizens don't like him.

What Khamenei Said In His Last Speech

"I will also say a few words about the US. It's a system that is truly in decline. It's an empire that's heading toward a collapse," he said.

"As for the crumbling US empire, it truly is crumbling; they have problems in their economy, problems with their policies, and problems in their society. More than 50 per cent of the US population doesn't approve of their current president."

Khamenei claimed the knot in Tehran-Washington ties stemmed from what he called American ambitions toward Iran. "The problem we have with the United States is that they want to devour Iran, and the Iranian nation is preventing them. The Islamic Republic stands in their way," he said. 

The Iranian leader also downplayed Donald Trump's threat of military action, saying, "The US President has said that for 47 years, the United States hasn't been able to eliminate the Islamic Republic. He's complained to his own people that for 47 years, the US has not been able to eliminate the Islamic Republic. That confession is true. I say, "You, too, won't be able to do such a thing."

He added that the United States lacked the capacity for sustained conflict. "The strongest military force in the world may at times be struck so hard that it cannot get up again."

Khamenei's Last X Post

Minutes after US President Donald Trump announced his death, Khamenei's official account on X posted a message in Persian, invoking the name of Haidar -- the first Shia Imam and a central figure in Shia Islam. “Haider" in Iran also serves as a battle cry. The post also showed a clerical figure holding a sword on fire.

"Be nām-e nāmi-ye Heydar, alayhis-salām,” the Persian text read, which translates to: “In the exalted name of Haidar (peace be upon him).”

Khamenei's Death

Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States, throwing the future of the Islamic Republic into doubt and raising the risk of regional instability. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old's death early Sunday. US President Donald Trump had announced his death hours earlier, saying it gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back” their country.

The US-backed Israeli strikes opened a stunning new chapter in American intervention in Iran, marking the second time in eight months that the Trump administration has attacked the country during talks over its nuclear programme. The killing of Khamenei after decades in power appeared certain to create a significant leadership vacuum, given the absence of a known successor and because the Supreme Leader had final say on all major policies.

On Sunday, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to launch its “most intense offensive operation” ever, targeting Israel and US bases.