Iran’s Khamenei urges Israel’s ‘defeat,’ accuses Saudis of ‘treason’
Supreme leader calls on Muslim countries to rally behind ‘totally ignored’ Palestinians
Iran’s supreme leader on Tuesday called on the Muslim world to unite behind the “totally ignored” Palestinians and accused Saudi Arabia of “treason” against Muslims because of its alleged ties to Israel.
Addressing representatives from the Muslim-majority countries in Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also predicted Israel’s demise and accused the United States of creating and supporting the Islamic State terrorist group “till their last breaths.”
“Palestine is an important issue of the Muslim World which has been totally ignored,” Khamenei said in a speech, which he excerpted in a series of tweets.
The supreme leader of Iran, which funds terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah, called for the “defeat” of Israel, expressing confidence the effort would “bear fruit.”
“Defeating the Zionists in a soft war is possible just as it is during hard war,” he tweeted. “I believe that this struggle against the Zionist regime will bear fruit, just as the resistance has progressed today.”
I believe that this struggle against the Zionist regime will bear fruit, just as the #resistance has progressed today.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
“There was a time when the Zionists chanted ‘From Nile to Euphrates,’ today they are building up walls around themselves, so that they can protect themselves on that occupied land,” he continued.
There was a time when the Zionists chanted "From Nile to Euphrates," today they are building up walls around themselves, so that they can protect themselves on that occupied land.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
The Iranian supreme leader said the Palestinians should have a state encompassing the entirety of the State of Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital.
#Palestine is a collective, a country with a history. Palestine is from the river to the sea and #AlQuds is undoubtedly its capital.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
“Palestine is a collective, a country with a history. Palestine is from the river to the sea and Al Quds is undoubtedly its capital,” he tweeted, referring to Jerusalem by its Arabic name.
He also attacked Saudi Arabia, with which Iran has been conducting proxy wars in Lebanon and Yemen, for cooperating with the United States.
“Governments that help the United States and cooperate with the Zionist regime to fight Muslim brothers are committing treason, like what Saudis are doing,” he said.
The World of Islam, with such a large population and plenty of facilities, can certainly create a great power within the world and become influential through unity.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
However, he also said Iran is ready to adopt a “brotherly attitude” toward countries that have been hostile toward it, and called for Muslim unity for the sake of defeating Israel.
Such warmongering within the World of Islam must be stopped and we should not allow that a safe haven be created for the Zionist regime. We are ready to treat brotherly even those from among the Muslim world who were hostile to us.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
Iran and Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties in 2016 and support opposing sides in the wars in Syria and Yemen.
Iran has seized on media reports that Saudi Arabia is seeking closer ties with Israel in order to join forces against it, something the Saudis deny.
Khamenei also attacked the United States and slammed US President Donald Trump for his negative comments about Africa and Haiti, referring to it as a “human rights” issue.
The flagrant and shamelessly stated words by the man who rules over the U.S. today about Africa, Latin America, and various races are examples of measures taken against Human Rights. #Haiti
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
By expressing the truth and exposing the falsehoods of U.S.'s claims, such as supporting "Human Rights" and "combating terrorism," we should create trends that impact public opinion and intellectuals.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
And he accused the US of creating and supporting Islamic State, until its recent defeat.
U.S. officials are chanting slogans on fighting terrorism, while they openly support the terrorist Zionist regime. Besides, according to the U.S. president's confessions, in his election campaigns, U.S. was the main factor in creating ISIS &supported them till their last breaths.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 16, 2018
Khamenei’s words echoed the message of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who said Tuesday that with the end of Islamic State, the Palestinians must be the main focus of the Islamic world.
Rouhani blamed regional instability on Israel’s “occupation of Palestine” with the United State’s “tendentious and unstinting” support, the Iranian Press TV reported.