 Iran's Khamenei Promises Continued Fight Against Israel in Rare Sermon
 |
| Ayatullah al khamenei |
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered an uncommon Friday sermon in Arabic, defending a recent missile attack on Israel that heightened concerns about a regional conflict and praised the resilience of allied groups.
Speaking to tens of thousands at a mosque in Tehran, Khamenei asserted that armed factions in the Middle East "will not back down," despite recent Israeli attacks on militant leaders.
For more : the creation of Israel state historyÂ
This marked Khamenei's first public Friday sermon in nearly five years, where he addressed the Iran-aligned "axis of resistance," including Hezbollah from Lebanon and Hamas.
"The resistance in the region will not falter in the face of these martyrdoms and will emerge victorious," Khamenei declared, as supporters held up images of fallen leaders from Hezbollah and Hamas.
He commended the groups for their "fierce defense" against Israeli forces in the wake of Hamas's October 7 attack, which ignited ongoing conflict in Gaza and extended to Lebanon and beyond.
 |
| Ayatullah al khamenei and others |
Khamenei described the actions of the Tehran-backed militants as "logical and legitimate," insisting that they should not be criticized.
For more : know about telegram earnings botÂ
During his speech, Khamenei was seen with a rifle beside him, a customary gesture among Shiite imams in Iran to convey readiness for conflict.
The sermon followed a memorial for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike on September 27, alongside Revolutionary Guards commander Abbas Nilforoushan, marking a significant escalation in tensions.
Khamenei's address coincided with the upcoming anniversary of the Gaza war and followed Iran's missile strikes on Israel in response to the deaths of Nasrallah, Nilforoushan, and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
He characterized the missile strikes as a necessary response to the "crimes of the usurping Zionist regime," marking Iran's second direct attack on U.S.-backed Israel.
Khamenei labeled Israel a "malicious regime" that relies on U.S. support and asserted that it "will not last long."
He affirmed that the Palestinians were justified in their unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, calling it a "logical and legal" response.
While Iran has expressed support for Hamas's actions, it has denied any direct involvement.
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has refused to recognize Israel and has made8 supporting the Palestinian cause a central focus of its foreign policy.
Khamenei's last Friday sermon was in January 2020, This follows Iran's missile strikes on a U.S. base in Iraq in response to the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani.
Hamas, Hezbollah, and other armed groups in the Middle East form the Iran-aligned "axis of resistance," opposing Israel and its ally, the United States.
In April, Iran retaliated against Israel with missile and drone strikes after an Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus. Most of the missiles in both incidents were intercepted, according to Israeli sources.