In a rare public address, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that Iran and its regional allies will not back down from Israeli attacks, labeling Iran’s recent attack on Israel as “legal and legitimate”. Khamenei led Friday prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran, his first public appearance since Iran launched a barrage of 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday.
The attack was in retaliation for Israel’s killings of senior Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) figures, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Khamenei emphasized that “the resistance in the region will not back down even with the killing of its leaders” and that Iran would fulfill its “duty” to allies in a considered manner.
Khamenei’s sermon sent a message to Israel that Iranian authorities “are not hiding, they are not seeking shelter, they are not going underground.” This address comes just before the first anniversary of Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, which led to a war killing over 41,700 Palestinians and spilling into Lebanon.
Iran’s Call for Unity:
Khamenei issued a rallying call to Muslim nations, urging unity against their common “enemy” Israel, which he claimed had deployed “psychological,” “economic,” and “military” warfare against them. He emphasized that Muslim countries should unite, saying, “Our enemy is one. If their policies are sowing the seeds of division in one country, they may prevail and once they seize control of one country, they move to the other.”
Regional Tensions Escalate
Iran’s proxies, including Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, and armed groups in Iraq, have carried out attacks in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war. On Tuesday, Israel launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon, prompting Iran’s retaliatory attack. Tehran has warned the US that any Israeli attack against Iran would meet an “unconventional response” targeting infrastructure.
As tensions continue to escalate, Khamenei’s speech highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for Muslim unity in the face of Israeli aggression. With the anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel approaching, the region remains on high alert, bracing for further developments.
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