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Defiant Khamenei says Iran will ‘never surrender’ to the US
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Iran will “never surrender” to the United States, striking a defiant tone in his first remarks since a ceasefire with Israel took hold.
Khamenei, 86, claimed victory after 12 days of war, culminating in an Iranian attack on the largest US military base in the Middle East, in Qatar, after the US joined the Israeli assault.
“The US President [Donald] Trump unveiled the truth and made it clear that Americans won’t be satisfied with anything less than surrender of Iran … such an event will never happen,” Khamenei said.
Khamenei’s remarks come two days after a ceasefire halted the war between Iran and Israel – the foes’ deadliest and most destructive confrontation – and mark his first public appearance since June 19.
The speech also comes amid conflicting accounts in the US over the extent of the damage inflicted by US strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan during the conflict. US President Donald Trump said the strikes “obliterated” the nuclear facilities.
But Khamenei said Trump had “exaggerated” the impact of the attacks and said the US “gained nothing from this war,” claiming the US strikes “did nothing significant” to Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“The Islamic republic won, and in retaliation dealt a severe slap to the face of America,” he said, a reference to Iran’s missile attack targetting the US airbase in Qatar, which caused no casualties.
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said Khamenei also focused on the country’s armed forces, to offer them congratulations and counter the claims around the world and in Iran that the army “has received huge blows from the Israeli attacks”.
While Iranians who fled Tehran during the war have been gradually returning to the city, “there is a common anxiety among the Iranian people here as well because they believe this was only the first wave of the war,” said Serdar.
“Many are questioning the efficiency of Iran’s air defence systems” and feel that Iran could be more vulnerable to a potential future attack from the US and Israel, added Serdar.
Khamenei said that the Iranian army successfully targeted military and non-military positions, and caused extensive damage in Israel and added that “if Israel attacks us again, they will see a further destruction”, added Serdar.
Khamenei said that the country’s nuclear programme remains largely in place – contrary to US statements, said Serdar. “He said that most of the sites are still in place and that Iran is going to continue its nuclear programme.”
Both Iran and Israel have claimed victory in the 12-day war, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailing on Tuesday a “historic victory” for Israel.
The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran’s health ministry said, while official figures indicate Iran’s attacks on Israel killed 28 people.
A state funeral will be held on Saturday in Tehran for top commanders and nuclear scientists killed in the war.
[Aljazeera]
Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and asked South Africa to bat in their World Cup opener in Ahmedabad.
South Africa have opted for a pace-heavy attack. Keshav Maharaj slots in as their only spinner, alongside the speedy quartet of Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi. Tristan Stubbs also begins the tournament at the No. 6 spot – a position Jason Smith had occupied in their last T20I, while Stubbs had slid down to No. 7. Smith is in the World Cup squad but did not find a spot in South Africa’s starting eleven.
South Africa’s pace is expected to get the most out of a characteristically flat Ahmedabad black-soil pitch. But first, their batters will have a hit in a game they begin as overwhelming favourites against Canada, who are their second World Cup.
Canada’s new captain, Bajwa, will lead the side at a global tournament for the first time. He also slots in at the top of the order, alongside Yuvraj Samra, and their batting power will be key to their hopes of causing a massive upset.
Canada have lost both their warm-up games – to Italy and Nepal – but should their batters come off on a friendly pitch, South Africa will look to have the added insurance of a few more runs in the bank before dew takes over when Canada begin their chase at night.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (capt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
Canada: Dilpreet Bajwa (capt), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dilon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel
(Cricinfo)
A Hong Kong court jailed pro democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai for 20 years on Monday after he was found guilty of national security offences last December
This is the harshest sentence under the controversial national security law, which China says is necessary for the city’s stability
Lai, who is a British citizen, was one of the loudest critics of Beijing, often wielding his pro-democracy paper, Apple Daily, as a tool of protest
Six former executives of the paper were also jailed on Monday – from six years and nine months to 10 years
Hailed a hero by the pro-democracy movement, Lai is seen as a traitor by Beijing. He has always denied the charges against him
The UK calls for the Chinese government to release Lai, saying it will “rapidly engage further” with Beijing. But Hong Kong’s chief executive welcomes the sentence, saying Lai used “used Apple Daily to poison the minds of citizens”.
Lai’s son, Sebastien, tells the BBC his father’s punishment is “basically a death sentence”.
(BBC)
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza decided to field first against Oman in the men’s T20 World Cup match at the SSC in Colombo. Both teams were pleased to arrive in Sri Lanka early to get themselves attuned to the conditions.
Zimbabwe have Blessing Muzarabani back in the squad after he missed the tri-series in Pakistan in November.
Oman, meanwhile, include 44-year-old Aaamir Kaleem the oldest player in the tournament – after he came into the side in place of Hasnain Shah, who was injured after the squad was named.
Zimbabwe return to the tournament after missing out on the previous edition in West Indies and the United States of America. They had made it to the Super 12s of the 2022 T20 World Cup but failed to progress through the qualifiers for the 2024 tournament. They completed qualification alongside Namibia; Brian Bennett was the tournament’s top run-scorer, while Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava were among the leading wicket-takers.
Zimbabwe are bolstered by the return of Graeme Cremer, whose November 2025 comeback marked the longest gap between T20I appearances.
Oman are one of three qualifiers from the Asia-Pacific region, alongside Nepal and the UAE. They have previously appeared in the 2016, 2021, and 2024 editions of the T20 World Cup.
Oman: Jatinder Singh (capt), Aamir Kaleem, Hammad Mirza, Wasim Ali, Karan Sonavale, Jiten Ramanandi, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Sufyan Mehmood, Nadeem Khan, Shah Faisal, Shakeel Ahmad
Zimbabwe: Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Dion Myers, Brendan Taylor (wk), Sikandar Raza (capt), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
Canada bowl against pace-heavy South Africa
Hong Kong court jails media tycoon and British citizen Jimmy Lai for 20 years
Muzarabani returns as Zimbabwe opt to bowl against Oman
Munsey and Leask spoil Italy’s T20 World Cup debut2
Italy captain Wayne Madsen injures shoulder in T20 World Cup opener
Canada look for early splash against favourites South Africa
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