Israel ‘Won’t Last Long,’ Warns Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei in First Public Sermon in 5 Years

Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that Israel “won’t last long” as he backed Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements during a rare Friday sermon. Addressing thousands at a mosque in Tehran, Khamenei defended recent missile strikes on Israel, calling them a “public service”.

With a gun by his side, Khamenei asserted that Israel would not triumph over groups like Hamas or Hezbollah, as the crowd chanted support. This was his first Friday sermon in five years, seen as a show of defiance amid Israeli threats to his life following recent missile attacks.

During his speech, Khamenei praised former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli airstrike last week, stating that his legacy would continue to inspire resistance. He described Hezbollah as a “blessed tree” that flourished under Nasrallah’s leadership and called on Muslims to support Lebanon’s struggle, particularly the fight for the al-Aqsa mosque.

The Iranian leader defended the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel as a justified response to occupation and criticised international objections. He also accused Israel of being a tool for the U.S. to dominate the region’s resources, claiming the “Zionist entity” is unstable and exists only through American support.

Khamenei’s sermon comes three days after Iran launched around 200 missiles at key Israeli infrastructures, coinciding with the anniversary of the Israel-Gaza conflict. His last sermon was in 2020, following Iran’s missile attack on a U.S. base after the assassination of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.