Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has stated that Iran and its regional allies will not back down against Israel and has called for unity among Muslim nations. In a rare Friday sermon, Khamenei led prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque in central Tehran, marking his first public appearance since Iran’s recent massive missile barrage at Israel. The attack was in retaliation for Israel’s killings of senior Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps figures, as well as escalating attacks in Lebanon.
Khamenei emphasized that the resistance in the region will not back down, even with the killing of its leaders, and he justified Iran’s attack on Israel as “legal and legitimate.” He also assured that Iran would fulfill its “duty” to its allies in a considered manner and would not act irrationally or impulsively, but rather follow decisions handed down by its political and military leadership.
The supreme leader’s sermon aimed to send a message to Israel that the Iranian authorities are not hiding and are not seeking shelter or going underground. He also issued a rallying call to Muslim nations to unite against the common “enemy” Israel, emphasizing the need for unity against Israel’s psychological, economic, and military warfare.
Khamenei’s speech comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with Iran’s proxies in its “axis of resistance” carrying out attacks in support of the Palestinians in the Gaza war. The supreme leader’s call for unity counters earlier criticism that Iran had been isolating itself from the region and emphasizes the need for Muslim nations to unite to counter the threat of a regional war.
This sermon is Khamenei’s first such address in more than four years and comes just before the first anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel, which led to a war that has resulted in significant casualties. The recent events have also escalated into a conflict in Lebanon, with Israel launching a ground offensive in southern Lebanon.
Tensions continue to escalate, with Israel targeting senior Hezbollah figures in Beirut and Iran warning the US that any Israeli attack against Iran would meet an “unconventional response” targeting infrastructure. In response, US President Joe Biden has stated that Israel’s response could include a strike on Iran’s oil facilities.
