India
Iran’s highest authority, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed the recent conflict in the Middle East in his first televised speech since the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel over the weekend. Khamenei denied Iranian involvement in the attack by the militant group Hamas but praised what he described as Israel’s “irreparable” military and intelligence defeat. He also expressed solidarity with the Palestinian cause, emphasising Iran’s longstanding support for Palestine as a central element of its foreign policy.
During his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei expressed strong sentiments regarding the recent events:
- Khamenei stated that Iran was not involved in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
- He commended those responsible for planning the attack on the “Zionist regime” and described it as a “destructive earthquake” that had inflicted significant damage on Israel.
- Khamenei attributed the damage to Israel’s “own actions” and blamed the Israeli government for the consequences of the conflict.
- He wore a Palestinian scarf during his televised speech, symbolizing Iran’s support for the Palestinian cause.
Iran has a long history of supporting the Palestinian cause and has consistently provided both moral and financial support to Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip. This support is a key element of Iran’s foreign policy and its self-proclaimed leadership in the Muslim world.
The United States had previously stated that Iran was complicit in Hamas’terrorist attack on Israel. However, it clarified that it had no intelligence or evidence to support this assertion. The top U.S. general also warned Iran against getting involved in the crisis, expressing a desire to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
Israel, in response to the Hamas attack, had announced the re-establishment of control over the Gaza border and the planting of mines in areas where militants had breached the barrier during the attack. Relentless Israeli air raids on Gaza had also continued.
Ayatollah Khamenei warned that any attack on Gaza would result in a stronger outpouring of anger. He criticised Israel for attempting to portray itself as a victim, describing this as a “misguided calculation” that would lead to greater disaster.
Israeli TV channels reported a death toll of 900 people in Israel as a result of the Hamas attack, with at least 2,600 injured. Gaza’s Health Ministry stated that at least 687 Palestinians were killed and 3,726 were wounded in Israeli airstrikes on the blockaded enclave since the start of the conflict on Saturday.
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