Amid escalating tensions with Israel, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, delivered a rare and defiant Friday sermon, stating that Israel “won’t last long” and expressed strong support for Palestinian and Lebanese groups. In his address to tens of thousands of supporters at a mosque in Tehran, Khamenei defended missile strikes on Israel, framing them as a “public service” in support of the Palestinian cause.
Khamenei declared that Israel would not be able to prevail against resistance from Hamas and Hezbollah, even as chants of “we are with you” filled the mosque. His sermon marked a significant moment, as it was his first in five years and followed recent missile attacks launched by Iran against Israeli infrastructure.
The leader also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Hassan Nasrallah, the former chief of Hezbollah, who was recently killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. “Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is no longer with us, but his spirit and his path will continue to inspire us forever,” Khamenei said, praising the late leader’s role in standing against Israel. He described Nasrallah’s death as a martyrdom that would only further embolden resistance efforts.
Khamenei’s speech comes at a crucial time, with tensions between Israel and Iran reaching new heights following Iran’s missile strikes earlier this week. These attacks targeted key Israeli infrastructure and took place just days before the one-year anniversary of the Israel-Gaza war.
The supreme leader called the October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas “the correct move,” indicating strong continued support for the Palestinian group, which is backed by Iran.
