Ayatollah Khamenei Urges Muslim World to Cut Ties with Israel

Speaking to a gathering of Iranian officials and ambassadors from Muslim countries, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the Israeli regime's crimes warrant a decisive response.

The Leader said that the Islamic Republic of Iran proposes that Islamic governments should cut off their economic ties and political relations with the Zionist regime," stressing that while a complete disassociation may not be immediately feasible, temporary suspension of ties is imperative to demonstrate opposition to Israel's atrocities against Palestinians.

Commending the global demonstrations in support of Palestine, particularly on International Quds Day (on Friday), Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the unprecedented scale of solidarity witnessed across diverse communities, as an "extraordinary, political and international move".

The Leader emphasized the significance of Gaza's plight as a central issue for the Islamic world, urging collective responsibility in addressing the crisis.

"The hearts of nations go out to Gaza, even the non-Muslims," remarked Ayatollah Khamenei, noting the widespread empathy extended towards the Palestinian cause. “You see these rallies and demonstrations that are staged across the world in favor of the Palestinians and the people of Gaza; these marches are unprecedented. We have not seen anything like this,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

He underscored the significance of recent rallies in the US, Europe, and Africa, suggesting a shifting tide in international opinion regarding the Israeli war against Palestinians.

Denouncing as “regrettable” the support provided by certain Muslim countries to the Israeli regime in its months-long war on Gaza, the Leader said, “This is a betrayal of the Islamic Ummah (community). It is also a self-betrayal, because they are strengthening the waning Zionist institutions and this empowerment will be to their own detriment.”

Earlier, Ayatollah Khamenei had condemned Israel's months-long war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip in a speech at Imam Khomeini's Grand Mosalla in Tehran on Wednesday after leading the Eid al-Fitr prayers, which mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. He said it demonstrates the evil and wicked nature of Western civilization.

“In this year's events, Western governments exposed the evil nature of Western civilizations. During the last six months in Gaza, the Western governments, themselves, put on display this evil nature before the eyes of the world," the Leader said.

"They killed children in their mothers' arms and patients in hospitals. Their strength does not match that of the resistance fighters, so they claim the lives of old men, families, children and women, and killed more than thirty thousand innocent people."

The Leader added, “Where are those whose cacophonous voice on human rights deafen the ears of the world? Are these not human beings? Don’t they have any rights?”

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that the Western governments have for years invariably helped and supported Israel, and also backed the regime in international circles and provided it with all kinds of aid.

“They should have prevented the crimes of the regime in this disaster. But the Western governments did not fulfill their duty. Some spoke in support of the people [in Gaza], but in practice they not only failed to prevent but also contributed to [the war], especially the arrogant and cruel governments of the US and UK,” the Leader noted.

The Israeli regime launched its devastating war on the Gaza Strip after Palestinian resistance movements launched an operation against the usurping regime on October 7. The regime has so far killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Tel Aviv has also blocked water, food, and electricity to Gaza, plunging the coastal strip into a humanitarian crisis.