Iran's supreme leader makes first public statement since ceasefire declared in Israel-Iran war
Dubai, Jun 26 (AP): Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday his country had “delivered a hand slap to America's face” and warned against any further US attacks in his first public comments since a ceasefire was declared with Israel.
Khamenei spoke in a video broadcast on Iranian state television, his first appearance since June 19, looking and sounding more tired than he did only a week ago.
He told viewers that the US had only intervened in the war because “it felt that if it did not intervene, the Zionist regime would be utterly destroyed.”
But he said that the US “achieved no gains from this war."
“The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America's face,” he said, in apparent reference to an Iranian missile attack on an American base in nearby Qatar on Monday, which caused no casualties.
Khamenei warned that “such an action can be repeated in the future, too,” saying that Iran has “access to key US centres in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary.”
“Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price,” he said.
The 86-year-old Khamenei hasn't been seen in public since taking shelter in a secret location after the outbreak of the war June 13 when Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities and targeted top military commanders and scientists.
Following an American attack on June 22 that hit the nuclear sites with bunker-buster bombs, US President Donald Trump was able to help negotiate a ceasefire that came into effect on Tuesday.
In his appearance on Thursday, he sat in front of plain brown curtains to give his address, similar to his June 19 message.
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Karnataka Health Dept bars leave for staff amid ASHA workers’ strike starting Aug 12
Bengaluru, Aug 11 (PTI): In response to a planned three-day strike by ASHA workers starting August 12, the Karnataka Health Department on Monday issued a notice prohibiting all officers and staff from taking leave during the protest period, except in cases of medical emergencies.
Accredited Social Health Activists workers are demanding the fixed honorarium of Rs 10,000 promised by the state government in January. They have announced a continuous state-level protest from August 12 to 14.
The notice stated, “Information about ASHA workers absent from duty within district limits will be collected daily from primary health centres, compiled at the district level, and submitted to the commissionerate by 3 pm during the protest.”
The Health Department also urged community health officers, primary health protection officers, health inspectors, and Anganwadi workers to cooperate in ensuring that health services to the public remain uninterrupted.
