In a speech on Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei refrained from directly discussing the missile attack on Israel that occurred the previous day.
Instead, he focused on Israel's simmering conflict with Lebanon and the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, assassinated by Israel last month, stating, “I certainly have remarks regarding Lebanon and everything related to this great and beloved martyr (Nasrallah), which I will share in the near future, God willing.”
In an open and seemingly unprovoked attack on Western democracies, Khamenei accused the US and European nations of being "the root of the problem in our region—which creates conflicts, wars, concerns, and hostilities".
He said: "If they reduce their interference in this region, undoubtedly these conflicts, wars, and confrontations will completely vanish. The countries in the region can manage themselves, govern their own areas, and live together in peace, safety, and well-being.”
Unusually, he did not mention Iran's archenemy Israel in the blast.
Khamenei’s comments come at a significant moment, as there are reports that he will lead Friday prayers in Tehran this week for the first time in nearly five years. An announcement from a manager at Iran’s IRGC-affiliated Fars website confirmed that Khamenei will personally deliver the sermon, a responsibility he typically delegates to representatives such as Ahmad Khatami and Kazem Sedighi. It is significant as historically, Khamenei only steps in during critical times or significant occasions.
The last time Khamenei led Friday prayers, considered the most holy day of the week for Muslims, was on January 17, 2020, the first time in eight years. His sermon occurred during a particularly tense period, just after the killing of Iranian IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike and the subsequent downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane by Iran's military.
If confirmed, the timing of Khamenei’s appearance is noteworthy due to Iran’s second attack on Israel on Tuesday and recent killing of Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike which has seen Iran's biggest proxy hit most drastically by Israel since its creation. Around 1,500 operatives are believed to have been taken out of action after a mass infiltration of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to the group. Its top commanders have also been eliminated in a wave of assassinations.
Now, according to reports from Reuters, Khamenei has been moved to a secure location within Iran amid heightened security following Nasrallah’s shock assassination.
On Tuesday night, after the launch of nearly 200 missiles at Israel and the Israeli prime minister's promise of strong retaliation, reports indicated that he remained in a secure location. However, he appeared for a public meeting on Wednesday.
Iran launched over 180 missiles toward Israel on Tuesday, claiming it was a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others, including Hamas's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, killed in an air strike in Tehran in July.
Khamenei also led the funeral prayers for the slain Hamas figure, in addition to leading prayers for former president Ebrahim Raisi who died in a mysterious helicopter crash earlier this year.
Across multiple locations in Israel, barrages of missiles streaked through the sky as sirens wailed throughout the country. At least one person was killed in the West Bank, with several others injured during the attack, according to the Israeli military.
Hours after the assault, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: “Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it. The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.”
The US also vowed that it would work with longtime ally Israel to ensure Iran faced "severe consequences" for Tuesday's attack.