Tehran Threatens Retaliatory Strikes as Trump Suggests Iranian Regime Change

By Joseph Stepansky and Ted Regencia
Published on June 23, 2025

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed retribution against Israel following coordinated military strikes involving U.S. forces, branding the Jewish state "the Zionist enemy" in his first public address since the attacks. The declaration escalates already volatile tensions as both nations continue exchanging hostilities.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump simultaneously amplified geopolitical pressures by suggesting the potential overthrow of Iran's government. "Should Tehran's current leadership prove incapable of restoring Iran's greatness," Trump questioned, "what alternative exists to regime change?"

The exchange marks a dangerous new phase in the longstanding conflict, with global observers monitoring potential retaliation from Tehran. Recent weeks have seen intensified cross-border strikes between Iranian and Israeli forces, now complicated by direct U.S. involvement.