Iran’s Khamenei urges Muslim world to unite in his Friday sermon after 5 years

TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led Friday prayers and deliver a public sermon after five years.

A large crowd attended the Friday prayers at Imam Khomeini Grand Mosallah Mosque led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after a massive missile attack on enemy Israel.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his Friday sermon termed Israel a common enemy of Muslim world and urged their leaders to get united. He also condemned the bloodshed in Gaza and Lebanon.

We support and respect the right of self-determination of Palestinians.

Khamenei’s rare Friday sermon — a first in almost five years — comes after Tehran attacked Israel with ballistic missile to avenge the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah.

Khamenei last led Friday prayers in January 2020 after Iran fired missiles at a US army base in Iraq, in response to a strike that killed revered Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.

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Khamenei appeared at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla mosque and led the Friday prayers. The suicide bombing which had targeted him 39 years ago had not hurt him.

On March 15, 1985, a suicide bomber with explosives strapped on his waist exploded at a packed Friday prayer session at Tehran University when Khamenei, then President, was delivering a sermon.

The explosion had killed the bomber and several people, but Khamenei did not suffer any injuries.