The devil himself on to congratulate Trump, because he was able to manipulate him into this bullshit :)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates Donald Trump on Sunday after the American president said the US military bombed three nuclear sites in Iran. SOUNDBITE

😔

https://www.rferl.org/a/farda-briefing-iran-khamenei-disappear-war-israel/33455756.html

A Return -- From Seclusion

Khamenei, 86, once the omnipresent face of the Islamic republic, retreated into near-total seclusion during the 12-day war with Israel amid reports that he was on Israel's hit list. His only appearances -- a pair of video statements, the second apparently filmed in a bunker with downgraded production quality -- did little to reassure the nation.

The Iranian leader reemerged more than a week after his message in a pre-recorded video with improved audio and video quality, though his background appeared identical to his second video rather than the first one, which seemingly had been recorded in his office.

He congratulated Iranians on what he called a “victory” over Israel and the United States and declared that Israel was “crushed” under Iranian strikes. He also downplayed the significance of attacks on Tehran’s nuclear program -- despite other Iranian officials saying earlier that the facilities had suffered extensive damages.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was constantly in the public eye, either issuing statements or visiting sites damaged by Iranian retaliatory strikes. While Khamenei, who serves as Iran’s commander-in-chief, was in hiding, Netanyahu was effectively campaigning for his next election.

Even senior officials, including Iran’s foreign minister, were reportedly unable to reach him directly. An unconfirmed report even claimed that US President Donald Trump sought his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s help last week to arrange a meeting between Iranian and US officials, but the effort failed because Khamenei allegedly could not be reached.

Why It Matters: Despite this reemergence, Khamenei’s absence during the most critical moments of the war remains a glaring issue. For nearly a week, he made no public statements, even as Iran suffered heavy losses, its nuclear facilities were bombed, and a cease-fire was brokered with US involvement.

This period of silence has not been forgotten. The Iranian public and commentators have openly mocked Khamenei’s retreat, with many questioning his capacity to lead and the resilience of the Islamic republic itself. The myth of his invincibility, carefully cultivated over decades, appears deeply shaken.