Iran's leader defends strikes on Israel in rare public speech

In a rare public address, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, defended the recent missile strikes on Israel, stating that they were 'correct, logical, and lawful. ' This speech took place in Tehran, where a large crowd gathered to hear him speak during Friday prayers, an event he had not led since 2020. Khamenei described the missile attacks as the 'minimum punishment' for what he termed Israel's 'astonishing crimes. ' This statement came just three days after Iran launched nearly 200 missiles at Israel, claiming it was a retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Khamenei also spoke in Arabic during his address to connect with Palestinian and Lebanese supporters. A photo released by the Iranian government showed thousands of people at the Grand Mosalla Mosque in Tehran, demonstrating the significance of the event. During his sermon, Khamenei praised Nasrallah and expressed support for both Hamas and Hezbollah, stating that these groups provided a 'vital service' to the region and the entire Islamic world. He emphasized that Iran-aligned armed groups 'will not back down' in their ongoing conflict with Israel, which has escalated since Hamas launched deadly raids into Israel nearly a year ago. Iran is known to be the primary supporter of Hezbollah, Hamas, and other armed groups in the Middle East that have targeted Israel, often referring to themselves as the 'Axis of Resistance. ' In recent weeks, several senior leaders of Iran-backed groups and members of Iran's powerful military wing, the Revolutionary Guards, have been killed in Israeli strikes or presumed Israeli assassinations. Khamenei's appearance before a crowd of tens of thousands in Tehran signifies the seriousness of the situation for the Iranian regime, which is currently facing widespread domestic discontent. This public address may be interpreted as an effort to demonstrate strength and restore Iran's credibility as the leader of the 'Axis of Resistance. ' Additionally, it was likely intended to show that Khamenei is not in hiding, following reports that he had been moved to a secure location after Nasrallah's assassination. The Grand Mosalla Mosque was filled with people, as many were provided free transportation to attend the sermon, and a large Palestinian flag was visible among the crowd. Khamenei holds ultimate power in Iran, but he rarely leads Friday prayers himself. The last time he did so was in 2020, after the US killed Iran's most senior military commander, Qassem Soleimani. The previous occasion was in 2012. Iran is still grappling with the loss of its allies, including Nasrallah and Hamas's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran in July. Although Israel is widely believed to be behind Haniyeh's killing, it has never officially commented on his death. Khamenei also warned the crowd that Iran would retaliate if Israel were to respond to the missile attacks. He stated, 'If we needed to do that again, we would do it again in the future. ' On Thursday, US President Joe Biden suggested that discussions regarding the situation had taken place, as Israel continued to deliberate on how to strike back at Tehran.