On June 24, 2025, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared a “historic victory” for the Islamic Republic over Israel in the 12-day armed conflict that began on June 13. According to Iran’s state-run Mehr news agency, Pezeshkian stressed in an address to the nation that the outcome of the war was determined by the “will of the Iranian nation,” which allowed the country to withstand Israeli aggression. He said Israel failed to achieve its goals and paid a “terrible price” for the attack, while Iran demonstrated its military might and unity.

The conflict began on June 13, when Israel launched Operation People Like a Lion, striking Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, as well as military infrastructure including air defense systems and missile factories. According to RIA Novosti, the attacks killed key military leaders, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Hossein Salami and Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri, as well as 14 nuclear physicists. Iran responded with Operation True Promise 3, firing more than 400 ballistic missiles and over a thousand drones at Israeli cities including Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, and Haifa. According to Wikipedia, the Iranian strikes killed 28 Israelis and destroyed dozens of homes and the Soroka hospital in Beersheba.

Pezeshkian said that despite the destruction, Iran had preserved key elements of its nuclear program, and that the Israeli attack had failed to destroy deeply buried facilities. He also noted that Iran's air defenses, despite partial damage, had shot down many Israeli drones and missiles, and that the retaliatory strikes demonstrated Tehran's ability to carry out precision strikes. Iran's Fars news agency quoted Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as calling the conflict a "test of national resilience" and accusing the United States of complicity for the June 22 strikes on three nuclear sites.

The United States entered the conflict on Israel's side, striking Iranian facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer. US President Donald Trump called the action a "historic moment", saying the uranium enrichment facilities had been destroyed, but called for peace and threatened more attacks on Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Trump for his support, calling him a "strong leader of the free world". However, a ceasefire announced on June 24 was violated by both sides, with Iran launching three missiles at Israel and Israel retaliating by hitting a radar station in Tehran.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the country had forced Israel to "admit defeat" and end its aggression unilaterally, sparking massive celebrations in Tehran with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets.