Khamenei Labels Israel a "Terrorist Base" in Al-Quds Day Address Amid Rising Tensions

"Israel is not a country, but a terrorist base against the nation of Palestine and other Muslim nations," Khamenei said in live televised remarks.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Image source : Reuters.

Tehran — Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a blistering condemnation of Israel during his annual Al-Quds Day speech on Friday, branding the country as a "terrorist base" rather than a legitimate state and urging continued resistance to Israeli policies in Palestinian territories.

Speaking in a nationally televised broadcast marking the final Friday of Ramadan — a day traditionally observed in Iran and some other Muslim-majority nations to show support for the Palestinian cause — Khamenei asserted that opposing Israel is not just a political stance but a moral obligation.

“Israel is a terror outpost imposed on the region,” Khamenei said. “Confronting this oppressive regime is equivalent to standing up against tyranny and terrorism. This is a duty for all.”

The remarks came against a backdrop of escalating hostility between Tehran and Tel Aviv, with recent events including maritime incidents, sabotage at Iranian nuclear facilities, and the high-profile killing of a top Iranian nuclear scientist — acts Tehran attributes to Israeli operations.

Iran, which does not recognize Israel as a legitimate state, has for decades positioned itself as a champion of the Palestinian struggle. Support for armed groups like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon forms a cornerstone of Iran’s foreign policy.

Khamenei also lashed out at Arab states that have normalized relations with Israel in recent years under agreements brokered by the United States, calling such moves a betrayal of Muslim unity.

"These diplomatic gestures from fragile Arab regimes are desperate attempts to give legitimacy to a regime that has none," he said. “But such efforts are doomed to fail.”

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan have all entered into formal agreements with Israel since 2020, a shift that has angered Iran and some of its allies.

Demonstrations Across the Muslim World

Despite public health restrictions curtailing state-organized gatherings in Iran, smaller, unofficial protests emerged in cities like Tehran, where demonstrators burned Israeli and American flags and rallied on motorbikes. Iranian state television described the gatherings as "spontaneous" acts of public defiance.

Beyond Iran, large-scale demonstrations marked Al-Quds Day in Iraq, Yemen, and Pakistan. In Yemen’s capital Sanaa, under the control of Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, marchers carried banners with slogans such as “Death to America, Death to Israel.” In Iraq’s Najaf, protesters burned paper versions of Israeli flags, while in Karachi, Pakistan, demonstrators held signs vowing to eliminate Israel.

Regional Flashpoints Intensify

Khamenei’s speech coincided with renewed clashes in the occupied Palestinian territories. On Friday, two Palestinians were killed and another critically wounded after opening fire on an Israeli military base in the West Bank, according to Israeli authorities.

Meanwhile, the contested Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem has seen heightened confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, linked to a long-standing legal battle over property rights. Tensions have flared as Palestinian Muslims gathered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the final Friday prayers of Ramadan.

The United Nations has called on Israel to halt the planned evictions in East Jerusalem, warning that such actions could potentially violate international law and may constitute "war crimes."

This year’s Al-Quds Day was the first since the resurgence of unrest in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, lending added gravity to Khamenei’s speech. His past rhetoric has been equally incendiary; in 2018, he described Israel as a "cancerous tumor" that must be "removed."

While his latest comments may not represent a shift in tone, they underscore Iran’s continuing commitment to positioning itself as a central force in regional opposition to Israel, even as diplomatic and military tensions reach new highs.