Speaking at a mourning ceremony marking the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza (AS) in Tehran on Sunday, the Leader told thousands of people from various walks of life that “the invincible shield of solidarity between the people, officials, and the Armed Forces must never be undermined.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation has stood firm against the United States’ insulting demand for submission and will continue to resist with strength.
He noted that the enemies, having realized through their military defeats that Iran cannot be forced into obedience by war, are now pursuing the goal of weakening the country through discord.
The Leader was referring to the Israeli-US war of aggression against Iran, which was launched on June 13. The war came to a halt on June 25 due to Iran’s relentless retaliatory missile strikes against Israel that had overwhelmed the occupying regime’s defense systems.
According to Ayatollah Khamenei, all Iranians, including intellectuals and media figures, need to safeguard the unity achieved in the wake of the war and support public servants, particularly the “hardworking and tireless president.”
In response to a question about the root cause of US enmity toward Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei said the issue goes beyond simple explanations and has persisted for more than four decades under successive American administrations.
He noted that Washington has long masked its enmity under pretexts such as terrorism, human rights, women’s issues, or democracy, but the current US president has openly revealed the true reason.
“He said our confrontation with Iran is because we want Iran to be obedient to America,” the Leader stated, clarifying that he was paraphrasing remarks by US President Donald Trump.
Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that this expectation is an insult to the Iranian nation with its long history, honor, and achievements.
“America wants Iran to be at its command, and the Iranian nation is deeply offended by such a demand and will stand firmly against those who harbor it,” he said.
He also criticized those who say direct negotiations with Washington could solve the country’s problems, saying such views are superficial.
Ayatollah Khamenei also recalled that following a recent attack on Iran on June 13, certain US-linked circles convened the very next day in a European capital to discuss a “post-Islamic Republic” government.
He said they were so confident the strike would destabilize Iran and turn the people against the system that they even went as far as designating a would-be monarch.
“Among that group of fools plotting a replacement for the Islamic Republic sat an Iranian as well—shame on him,” the Leader remarked.
He emphasized that the Iranian people, standing alongside the Armed Forces, the government, and the system, dealt a firm blow to such schemes through their resilience.
Turning to the Israeli regime, Ayatollah Khamenei condemned its ongoing atrocities in Gaza, describing the mass starvation and killing of children as “unprecedented in history.”
Elsewhere in his speech, the Leader said verbal condemnations by Western governments were insufficient and urged concrete steps to cut off all forms of support to Israel.
He also praised the actions of the Yemeni people in confronting Israel as a “correct” response and reaffirmed Iran’s readiness to take any possible measures in support of the cause.
“We hope God Almighty will bless the movement of the Iranian nation and truth-seekers worldwide and uproot this malignant cancer,” he said.