NEW: Trump abandons plan to lift sanctions on Iran after Ayatollah's 'lie'

President Trump said that he has abandoned plans to lift sanctions on Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei falsely claimed that Iran won the conflict that has played out over the past few weeks. 

Trump posted to Truth Social, "Why would the so-called 'Supreme Leader,' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so. As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie. His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'"

"In fact, in the final act of the War, I demanded that Israel bring back a very large group of planes, which were heading directly to Tehran, looking for a big day, perhaps the final knockout! Tremendous damage would have ensued, and many Iranians would have been killed. It was going to be the biggest attack of the War, by far. During the last few days, I was working on the possible removal of sanctions, and other things, which would have given a much better chance to Iran at a full, fast, and complete recovery - The sanctions are BITING! But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more. Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them. They are always so angry, hostile, and unhappy, and look at what it has gotten them - A burned out, blown up Country, with no future, a decimated Military, a horrible Economy, and DEATH all around them. They have no hope, and it will only get worse! I wish the leadership of Iran would realize that you often get more with HONEY than you do with VINEGAR. PEACE!!!" the president added. 

He made a similar statement at the White House in reaction to the Ayatollah's false claim of victory. The comments from Trump come after the Supreme Leader of Iran claimed earlier this week, “The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America’s face." 

He also claimed that the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites "couldn’t achieve much," and that the bombings were an act of "showmanship" on the part of Trump. "With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic,” the Ayatollah said in a post on X.