Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has declared the recent attack on Israel by Iranian forces as both "legal and legitimate," during Friday prayers at Tehran's Grand Mosalla Mosque. Addressing a large crowd, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Khamenei praised the nation's armed forces for their actions earlier in the week, calling it a rightful response.
In his sermon, which was partly delivered in Arabic, Khamenei extended his message to the broader Islamic world, emphasizing Lebanon and Palestine. He referred to Israel as a common enemy not only of Iran but also of countries like Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, and Iraq, asserting that the "control room" behind these conflicts remains the same.
The prayer service also included a commemoration for Hezbollah's Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, who was recently killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Khamenei honored Nasrallah as a "shining jewel" and a revered figure in the Islamic world, stating that his martyrdom would only amplify his influence.
Khamenei also addressed the youth of Hezbollah, urging them to uphold Nasrallah's vision and continue the fight for independence and dignity across Islamic nations, from Afghanistan to Gaza.
Earlier this week, Khamenei attributed the ongoing instability in West Asia to the presence of the United States and certain European countries in the region. The recent Israeli strikes also claimed the life of Abbas Nilforoushan, a senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
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