At the weekly congregation, Ayatollah Khamenei expresses intense criticisms directed towards Israel.
For the first time in five years, Ayatollah Khamenei delivers the Friday prayer in Tehran. In his speech, he justifies Iran's confrontation against its arch-nemesis, Israel. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister pays a visit to Lebanon.
In his Friday sermon in Tehran's capital, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds the final say in all strategic decisions of the Islamic Republic according to the constitution, defended the missile strike on Israel and encouraged his allies in the region. "The brave action of our forces (...) was a completely legitimate and justified act. We do not hesitate in fulfilling our duty and do not act impulsively," the leader stated. He labelled the attack as the "minimum retaliation" for Israel's actions. The attack was symbolized by a sniper rifle positioned next to the podium, representative of the fighting spirit.
Khamenei, 85, also issued threats towards Israel. "Every strike against the Zionist regime (Israel) is a service to all humanity," he declared. He described Israel as a tool of the Americans, describing it as "rootless, artificial, unstable and propped up by the USA." Iran's allies, including Hamas and Hezbollah, would not "back down" before Israel and "will emerge victorious," Khamenei predicted. He emphasized that Israel's existence is "short-lived."
The believers raised portraits of Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah and other key figures from the "Axis of Resistance" led by Iran, who have recently passed away. This includes Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Yemeni Houthi militia.
Iran aims to cripple Israel's infrastructure in case of war
While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Lebanon for talks during military tensions, Iran sought to express solidarity with the Lebanese people, as Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai explained. However, observers speculate that the primary purpose of the visit to Beirut was to discuss the succession of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli air strike. Iran is Hezbollah's closest ally, and the militia has been weakened following its leader's death.
Araghchi reiterated threats against Israel in a press conference. "We are not backing down," he asserted. "If Israel carries out further actions against Iran, our response will be more severe." He added, "Our reaction will be measured and deliberate." Accompanied by high security measures, Araghchi was escorted by the Lebanese armed forces.
If war breaks out between Iran and Israel, the Revolutionary Guards plan to target infrastructure. Ali Fadawi, deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, warned Israel of impending strikes against the energy sector. He pointed toward refineries and "energy sources" as potential targets, according to reports from Iranian media.
He is the individual responsible for leading the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful military organization in Iran. In his speech, Araghchi reiterated the Revolutionary Guards' stance, warning that their response to any further actions against Iran would be severe and deliberate.
