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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Image/Reuters
In a rare public appearance, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led Friday Eid prayers in Tehran, amid escalating tensions following missile strikes
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led a rare Friday prayer sermon in Tehran to commemorate the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike.
This marked Khamenei’s first time leading Friday prayers since he commemorated the death of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, nearly five years ago, CNN reported.
During the sermon, thousands gathered at Tehran’s Grand Mosque, where a large poster of Nasrallah was displayed. Worshippers waved Lebanese and Palestinian flags, chanting slogans in support of Hezbollah. Many also held posters of both Nasrallah and Soleimani, reflecting the deep ties between Iran and the militant group.
Khamenei ordered a missile attack on Israel earlier this week in response to Nasrallah’s assassination. The Iranian missile strike involved nearly 200 ballistic missiles and was described as retaliation for the deaths of Nasrallah and other key figures linked to Iran. Despite significant damage reported in Israel, only one fatality—a Palestinian man in the West Bank—was confirmed. The Iranian Supreme Leader’s sermon comes amid heightened tensions in the West Asia region.
