Iran’s leader defends strikes on Israel in rare public speech
Iran’s missile strikes on Israel were deemed “correct, logical, and lawful” by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a speech to a large crowd in Tehran on Friday.
The supreme leader characterized the attack as the “minimum punishment” for what he termed Israel’s “astonishing crimes” while leading Friday prayers in the capital, marking his first such appearance since 2020.
Khamenei’s remarks followed Iran’s launch of nearly 200 missiles at Israel, which it claimed was a retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
In a gesture to Palestinian and Lebanese supporters, the Farsi-speaking supreme leader delivered portions of his address in Arabic.
During his sermon, Khamenei lauded Nasrallah and expressed support for Hamas and Hezbollah, stating that they provide “vital service to the entire region and the entire Islamic world.”
He asserted that Iran-aligned armed groups “will not back down” in their struggle against Israel, which has entered a new phase following Hamas’s deadly raids into Israel nearly a year ago.
Iran serves as the primary supporter of Hezbollah, Hamas, and other armed groups throughout the Middle East that have targeted Israel. These groups often refer to themselves as the “Axis of Resistance.”
In recent weeks, several senior leaders from Iran-backed groups and members of Iran’s influential military faction, the Revolutionary Guards, have been killed in Israeli strikes or are presumed to have been assassinated by Israel.
The supreme leader’s appearance before a crowd of tens of thousands in Tehran underscores the seriousness of the moment for the Iranian regime, which is grappling with widespread domestic unrest.
This public display can be interpreted as an effort to demonstrate strength and reaffirm Iran’s position as the leader of the “Axis of Resistance.”
The event also aimed to convey that Khamenei is not in hiding, following reports suggesting he had been relocated to a secure location after Nasrallah’s assassination.
The Grand Mosalla Mosque was packed with people after transportation was provided for Iranians to attend the sermon, and a large Palestinian flag was visible among the crowd.
Although Khamenei holds ultimate authority in Iran, he rarely leads Friday prayers, having last done so in 2020 after the U.S. killed Iran’s top military commander, Qassem Soleimani. Before that, he last led prayers in 2012.
Iran is still reeling from the loss of its allies, Nasrallah and Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran in July. Israel is widely believed to be behind Haniyeh’s death, although it has never commented on it.
Khamenei also informed the crowd that Iran would retaliate if, as anticipated, Israel responds to Tuesday’s missile attack.
“If we needed to do that again, we would do it again in the future,” Khamenei told supporters.
On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden indicated that a potential Israeli strike on Iran’s oil infrastructure had been considered, as Israel evaluated its options for retaliating against Tehran.