In rare Friday sermon, Khamenei calls for fight against Israel

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei led Tehran’s Friday prayers for the first time in five years, delivering a sermon in Persian and Arabic where he reiterated his support for Arab groups fighting Israel.

The speech came amid fears of an imminent Israeli retaliation against Iran following the October 1 large missile attack on Israel by the Islamic Republic.

Khamenei began with calling for unity among Muslim nations and the need to defend Palestinians and Hezbollah in Lebanon. He maintained that Hamas and Hezbollah have a legal right to fight Israel, stating, "Every people have the right to defend their land, homes, country, and interests against aggressors."

“We have to tighten the belt of defense, ... from Afghanistan to Yemen, Iran to Gaza and Lebanon, in all Islamic countries. That’s the first issue I wanted to discuss,” Khamenei told the crowd.

The appearance of the 85-year-old cleric drew a larger crowd, which commemorated late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The second part of Khamenei's sermon in Arabic was meant to rally Islamic Republic's allies in the region.

The prominent placement of Abdullah Safieddine, Hezbollah's representative in Iran and brother of Hashem Safieddine, who was targeted by Israel the previous night, was noted as he sat near Khamenei during Friday prayers.

Khamenei’s sermon comes days after Tehran launched over 180 ballistic missiles on Israel on Tuesday night, signaling a marked escalation in the regional conflict.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) stated the decision had been made by Khamenei with the backing of the supreme national security council and the Iranian defense ministry.

Khamenei praised the IRGC missile attack on October 1, calling Israel the "rabid dog" of America with the character of a wolf, saying, “…the brilliant work of our forces just a few nights ago was also completely within their rights…”

Khamenei repeated his conspiracy theory that US and Western support for Israel is for "seizing all the resources of this region," especially the oil wealth. "In this scenario, any blow, by any individual or group, against this regime [Israel] is a service not only to the region but to all of humanity."

Khamenei’s long message in Arabic largely criticized the involvement of the US and its allies in the Middle East, regarding their support for what he referred to as the "occupying regime" (a term typically used by Iranian state leadership to refer to Israel).

These strikes followed the high-profile Israeli assassinations of Hezbollah's Nasrallah and a senior IRGC commander in Lebanon. Additionally, a purported Israeli strike in July killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Khamenei proceeded to emphasize the rights of the Palestinian people, asserting that no international body has the authority to object to their defense of their land and rights. He extended this defense to Hezbollah, stating that no one can criticize them for supporting and defending the Palestinian cause.

Addressing the people of Lebanon, Khamenei said they should not lose hope or purpose in the face of the loss of key figures, alluding to Nasrallah and other prominent Hezbollah leaders.

In a speech earlier this week, Khamenei refrained from directly discussing the missile attack on Israel that occurred the previous day, instead focusing on Israel’s ongoing conflict with Lebanon and the assassination of Nasrallah.

He condemned Israel’s aggressive actions and hinted at retaliation, though he stopped short of promising specific military action.

President Masoud Pezeshkian warned this week that Tehran would deliver a strong response to any further Israeli actions, reiterating Iran’s capability to defend itself.

Pezeshkian also emphasized that Tehran is not seeking an all-out war with Israel, stressing the importance of regional stability and cautioning against further provocations. The diplomatic balance remains precarious, with Iran signaling both readiness for defense and restraint in avoiding a broader regional conflict.

Report being updated....