Sayyed Khamenei calls for mounting pressure on 'Israel'
3 Min Read
Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei condemns US complicity in the war on Gaza, emphasizing that the Palestinian cause will remain on the global agenda.
-
In this photo released by the official website of the office of the Iranian leader, Sayyed Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting with a group of school teachers in Tehran, Iran on May 1, 2024. (AP)
Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei called on Wednesday for mounting pressure on the Israeli occupation so that the besieged Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are not overlooked, during an address to a group of teachers and academics on National Teachers' Day, marking the martyrdom anniversary of Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari.
He stressed that the situation in Gaza is a prominent subject on the global scale and the Israeli occupation and its Western allies are putting effort to eliminate the Palestinian cause from the world's agenda, "but all in vain."
US, EU student pro-Palestinian protests
Pointing to the massive pro-Palestinian protests by students at US and European universities, he stressed, "We should not allow this issue to be removed from the world’s public opinion, and pressure must increase on the Zionist regime day by day."
After hurling insults at him, a Zionist mob brutally beat up a pro-#Palestine protester at #UCLA amid fierce clashes at the campus.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 1, 2024
Unlike New York, where the NYPD headed to #ColumbiaUniversity to disband the encampment in huge numbers, the #LAPD's response was very late,… pic.twitter.com/53Nb7jVkuQ
Addressing the excessive use of force by US police against student protesters, Sayyed Khamenei highlighted that such harsh treatment underscores the Islamic Republic's justified distrust of America.
Violent clashes have erupted at #UCLA after pro-Zionist individuals launched fireworks and projectiles at the pro-#Palestine encampment on the campus.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 1, 2024
It's worth noting that #LAPD is seen nowhere near the scene, failing to protect the protesters.#StudentsForGaza… pic.twitter.com/91zKSlv7Ru
Furthermore, he pointed to how the US and the relevant bodies are dealing with the student uprising against "Israel", arguing that the students did not "vandalize anything, did not shout destructive slogans, did not kill anyone, did not set fire to any place, did not break any glass; [but] this is how they are being treated."
"What people see in practice shows America's partnership and complicity in this horrific crime, in this unforgivable sin, with the Zionist regime. They are accomplices. How can one be optimistic about such a system, about such a regime? How is it possible? Or how can one trust their words?" he added.
'Palestine must return to its original owners'
Sayyed Khamenei stressed that Palestine belongs to its “original owners” and that any attempts at normalization agreements will only inflame the Middle East.
"Palestine must return to its original owners. Palestine belongs to the Palestinian people, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews; Palestine is for them and should return to them," he added.
He highlighted that attempts to lure neighboring countries into normalizing ties with "Israel" will not ensure peace in the Middle East, opposite of what is being advertised.
Sayyed Khamenei's statement comes on the 208th day of the Israeli war on Gaza with the number of Palestinians killed reaching 34,568, with 77,765 injured. Additionally, the Gaza Health Ministry stated that the Israeli occupation committed in the past 24 hours four massacres against families in the Strip, which resulted in the martyrdom of 33 people and the injury of 57.
![In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had "engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)](https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2024/12/21/b4a69f2e-8682-43e4-9d37-49482b304ab3/3.png?v=2&format=webp "In a 2021 interview with Frontline by former US special representative James Jeffrey, he says he had \"engaged with [HTS] via backchannels while serving in President Trump’s State Department. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)")
