Yesterday we slapped America in the face, Iran’s Supreme Leader says after striking U.S. bases in Iraq

*Iran says it did not ‘seek war’ after launching dozen missiles at U.S. military bases

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, said on Wednesday that his military had dealt the United States a “slap in the face” when it unleashed more than 20 missiles at American forces stationed in Iraq.

In a televised address from the holy city of Qom, Ayatollah Khamenei said incremental military actions against the United States alone were “not sufficient.”

“What matters is that the presence of America, which is a source of corruption in this region, should come to an end,” he said to a hall filled with imams and others.

“Death to America!,” the crowd chanted. “Death to Israel!”

Ayatollah Khamenei said “sitting at the negotiating table” with American envoys opens the door to greater American intervention in the region and such negotiations therefore must “come to an end.”

“This region,” he said, “does not accept the U.S. presence.”

The ayatollah provided no additional details about the strikes on Tuesday night, in which American allies say, no one was killed.

He called General Suleimani, considered the second most powerful man in Iran, a “dear friend to us,” and praised him as a “great, brave warrior.”

Ayatollah provided no additional details about the strikes on Tuesday night, in which American allies say, no one was killed.

He called General Suleimani, considered the second most powerful man in Iran, a “dear friend to us,” and praised him as a “great, brave warrior.”

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressed his nation hours after Iran’s foreign minister said the country had ‘concluded’ its attacks on American forces. Also on Wednesday, a passenger jet crashed in the Iranian capital, killing everyone on board.

“What matters is that the presence of America,” in the region “should come to an end,” the ayatollah said.

Iran said on Wednesday it had “concluded” its attacks on American forces in Iraq and did “not seek escalation or war” after firing more than 20 ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq where American troops are stationed.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks in a tweet after Iran conducted the attacks in response to the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, a leader of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Senior Iraqi defense officials who work with the United States command said no Americans or Iraqis had been killed in the attacks. American officials did not, however, confirm if there were any casualties.

Britain, Sweden, Poland, Australia and Denmark, whose troops are stationed in Iraq alongside American forces, also said none of their service members had been killed.

General Suleimani was killed on Friday in Baghdad in a drone strike ordered by President Trump. American officials said the general, who led the guard’s foreign expeditionary Quds Force, was planning imminent attacks on American interests. An American official has since described that intelligence as thin.

“Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched,” Mr. Zarif said.

“We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression,” he added.

In a tweet, President Trump suggested that damages and casualties sustained by American forces were minimal. But he also said the assessment of the attacks was ongoing.

“All is well!,” he said in a tweet. “Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!”

The missiles, launched from Iran, struck the Al-Asad base in Baghdad and another in Erbil, in northern Iraq.

In a briefing in Washington, an official said that the Pentagon “had no confirmation” that any Americans had been killed.

Iranian news media reported the attacks began hours after the remains of General Suleimani were returned to his hometown in Iran for burial.

Hossein Soleimani, the editor in chief of Mashregh, the main Revolutionary Guards news website, said that more than 30 ballistic missiles had been fired at the base at Asad, in Anbar Province, in western Iraq.

In December 2018, Mr. Trump visited American military forces at Al-Asad. It was his first trip to troops stationed in a combat zone.

The base is an Iraqi base that has long been a hub for American military operations in western Iraq. Danish troops have also been stationed there in recent years.

The base in Erbil has been a Special Operations hub, home to hundreds of troops, logistics personnel and intelligence specialists. Transport aircraft, gunships and reconnaissance planes have used the airport as an anchor point for operations in both northern Iraq and deep into Syria.