Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly ridiculed President Donald Trump and warned that American military forces could be struck down, escalating rhetoric as U.S. and Iranian representatives met in Geneva to discuss Tehran’s nuclear program and mounting tensions between the two nations.

The 86-year-old cleric’s comments came against the backdrop of an increased U.S. naval presence in the region and renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing Iran’s nuclear activities and broader hostilities.

“The U.S. President says their army is the world’s strongest, but the strongest army in the world can sometimes be slapped so hard it cannot get up,” Khamenei said, according to remarks carried by Iranian media.

Khamenei, whose regime faced widespread condemnation following a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests last month that human rights organizations say left at least 7,000 people dead, also issued a warning about American naval forces through his English-language X account.

“The Americans constantly say that they’ve sent a warship toward Iran,” Khamenei’s team posted on his English X account. “Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea.”

At the same time, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, underscoring the growing friction with Washington in a region critical to global energy supplies.

Trump has declined to rule out military action against Iran’s ruling establishment, and the recent buildup of American forces in the area mirrors the deployment he assembled near Venezuela prior to the Jan. 3 raid that resulted in the capture of strongman Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

“It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” Trump told reporters Friday when asked about the prospect of regime change in Iran.

When questioned about whether the United States might once again strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, Trump responded, “If we do it, that would be the least of the mission.”

The exchange of threats and sharp rhetoric highlights the fragile moment between diplomacy and confrontation, as negotiations move forward even while both sides signal their readiness for escalation.