Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a sharp warning to U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, declaring that even the world’s most powerful military could suffer a devastating blow, in remarks that coincided with the resumption of indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva.
Addressing a gathering in Tehran, Khamenei directly referenced Trump’s repeated assertions about the strength of the U.S. armed forces. “The U.S. President keeps saying that they have the strongest military force in the world. The strongest military force in the world may at times be struck so hard that it cannot get up again,” he stated, according to Iranian state media and international reports.
Khamenei further escalated his rhetoric by targeting U.S. naval deployments in the region, particularly aircraft carriers and warships sent to the Persian Gulf and nearby waters amid heightened tensions. “They keep saying we have sent an aircraft carrier toward Iran. Very well, an aircraft carrier is a dangerous device, but more dangerous than the carrier is the weapon that can send it to the bottom of the sea,” he said.
The comments were interpreted as a reference to Iran’s arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones—capabilities the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has long highlighted as asymmetric deterrents against superior U.S. naval power.
Khamenei’s statement also rejected any notion of U.S.-led regime change in Iran. He noted that for 47 years since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Washington had failed to overthrow the Islamic Republic and asserted that such efforts would continue to fail. “You will not succeed either,” he declared, framing the warning as a response to Trump’s earlier suggestion that regime change in Tehran “would be the best thing that could happen.”
The defiant tone came just as the second round of indirect nuclear negotiations—mediated by Oman—began in Geneva. The talks focus on Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions relief, and confidence-building measures, following an initial round in Muscat earlier in February. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led Tehran’s delegation, while the U.S. side was headed by envoy Steve Witkoff with involvement from Jared Kushner.
President Trump, speaking to reporters on Monday, confirmed his indirect involvement in the process, describing the talks as “very important” while cautioning that failure could lead to consequences. The U.S. has accelerated military deployments in the Middle East, including additional aircraft carriers, to pressure Iran amid stalled diplomacy and regional flashpoints.
Analysts note that Khamenei’s remarks blend defiance with a strategic balancing act: projecting strength to domestic audiences and regional allies while leaving room for negotiations. Iran has repeatedly insisted on full sanctions removal and recognition of its missile program as non-negotiable, red lines that complicate prospects for a quick deal.
No immediate response from the White House or Trump was reported to Khamenei’s specific comments as of Tuesday evening. The exchange underscores the fragile nature of the current diplomatic window, where military posturing and verbal threats coexist with mediated talks aimed at de-escalation.
As indirect negotiations continue in Geneva, the rhetoric from both sides highlights the high stakes: a potential breakthrough on the nuclear file versus the risk of miscalculation in an already volatile region.
