In his first public address since the regime’s defeat in the 12-day war, Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered a speech not of strength, but of desperation.

Speaking to the regime’s judicial authorities on July 17, Khamenei attempted to project a facade of “sham power” to boost the collapsing morale of his loyalists. However, his words only succeeded in revealing a leader trapped by military failure, consumed by internal division, and haunted by the specter of a popular uprising. The speech was a desperate attempt to encourage his forces to continue their suppression, even as the regime sinks deeper into a vortex of crises.

Khamenei began with outlandish claims of military prowess, designed to reassure his frightened audience. “We entered the war firmly,” he asserted, adding, “The clear proof is that the Zionist regime, which was the opposing side in the war, was forced to resort to America. It realized it could not handle the Islamic Republic.” He continued his bluffs by claiming a major victory against the United States itself. “The counter-strike we........

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