Iranian leader breaks 5-year silence and calls attack an ‘act of justice’

With a rifle at his side and words of defiance, Khamenei promises revenge against Israel, calling the attacks a “minimum punishment” for the crimes committed

With a rifle at his side, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneiappeared in public this Friday (4) for the first time since the recent Iranian missile attack on Israel, describing the attack as a legitimate punishment for “Israeli crimes”.

This was the first friday sermon of Khamenei in almost five years. During his speech, he emphasized that the resistance against Israel it would not weaken, even with the death of its leaders.

Throughout the speech, Khamenei frequently held the barrel of a rifle at his side, a symbolic practice among Iranian clerics since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Khamenei spoke in Arabic and Persian, praising the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallahwho was killed in an Israeli attack in Beirut on September 27. He stated that the USA and its allies They use Israel’s security as a pretext to exploit the region’s resources and send them to the West.

He stated: “Our resilient people in Lebanon and Palestine, all these testimonies and shed blood will not shake their will, but will strengthen their steadfastness“.

Iran launched a series of missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for the death of Nasrallah and the assassination of the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyehin Tehran, in July. Iran blames Israel for Haniyeh’s death, although Israeli authorities have not claimed responsibility.

Khamenei continued, stating that Israel pretends to win through “murder, destruction and bombings,” but these acts increase the determination of the resistance. He added: “Every attack launched by any group against Israel is a service to the region and to all humanity“.

Khamenei also reinforced that the Iranian attack was “legal and legitimate”stating that this was the minimum punishment for Israel’s crimes. He made it clear that Iran would not procrastinate in its actions against Israel, saying that Iran would act prudently but determinedly in carrying out its duty.