Khamenei slams Saudi normalization efforts: The Palestinians should ‘decide how to deal with the Zionists’

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says efforts underway to forge a normalization of ties between Israel and Arab countries will not resolve the crisis in the Middle East and that the Palestinians should “decide how to deal with the Zionists.”

“Some people think that by forcing neighboring countries to normalize their ties (with Israel) the problem will be solved,” says Khamenei. “They are wrong.”

Khamenei’s remarks came after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said Washington is nearly ready with a security package to offer Saudi Arabia if it normalizes relations with Israel.

Saudi Arabia had been in talks over a potential normalization with Israel but they were paused when the war with Hamas broke out.

Iran does not recognize Israel and has made support for the Palestinian cause a centerpiece of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

“Palestine should be returned to them (Palestinians),” says Khamenei. “They should form their own regime, their own system, then that system should decide how to deal with the Zionists.”