Iran has sharply rebuked US President Donald Trump over his remarks aimed at Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling the statements “disrespectful and unacceptable.”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi cautioned Trump on Thursday, urging him to change course if he truly wishes to reopen diplomatic negotiations. “If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt supporters,” Araghchi posted on X.

The Iranian minister also took a defiant tone, highlighting what he described as Iran’s recent show of military strength against Israel. “The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to 'Daddy' to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults,” Araghchi warned.

His reaction followed Trump’s posts on his own social media platform, The Truth, where the US President claimed he had saved Khamenei from being killed during a conflict. “I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'” Trump wrote, adding that he knew Khamenei’s exact location but had stopped any planned strike.

Trump further claimed he had been evaluating the possibility of lifting sanctions against Tehran, but dropped the idea after being met with what he described as “anger, hatred, and disgust” from Iranian leaders.

The back-and-forth comes just days after Khamenei, in his first address after a ceasefire deal, accused Trump of “exaggerating events in unusual ways,” while insisting that the Islamic Republic had scored a significant victory and delivered “a severe slap to the face of America.”