Tehran (TDI): Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday urged Iranians to stand united against what he described as American attempts to dominate the Islamic republic.
Speaking at a mosque in Tehran, Khamenei said Washington and its allies had sought to destabilize Iran during the June conflict with Israel, a war in which the United States briefly intervened. His remarks were carried on his official website.
According to Khamenei, the coordinated strikes by Israel and the US that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities in June were intended to weaken the country and pave the way for regime change. He claimed that US representatives held meetings in Europe immediately after Israel’s attack to discuss alternatives to Iran’s current leadership.
“The Americans want Iran to submit to their will,” Khamenei said, insisting the country emerged stronger from what he called the “12-day war”, the most direct confrontation Iran has had with Israel and the US. He praised the Iranian people, armed forces and government for “delivering a powerful response” to their enemies.
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The supreme leader also cautioned against internal strife, alleging that foreign powers were working to exploit divisions inside the country. “The enemy’s method is to create discord,” he said, accusing “agents of America and the Zionist regime” of attempting to sow unrest.
Khamenei stressed that despite differences of opinion within Iran, “the people are united when it comes to defending the system and the country.”
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His comments come ahead of renewed nuclear talks between Iran and European powers scheduled for Tuesday. Britain, France and Germany have warned Tehran that sanctions could be reinstated if negotiations fail to yield progress.
The United States and its allies maintain that Iran is secretly seeking nuclear weapons, an accusation Tehran has consistently rejected. The latest round of talks follows months of disruption caused by the June war, which derailed earlier discussions between Washington and Tehran.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
