In a speech to mark the annual al-Quds Day, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called Israel “not a country, but a terrorist base” and said its downfall was imminent.

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

“Fighting this despotic regime… is everyone’s duty,” Khamenei said.

Khamenei also stressed that “the decline of the enemy Zionist regime has begun and will not stop.”

He blasted Israel’s normalization of ties with “some weak Arab governments” as attempts to undermine “the nightmare of Muslim unity,” calling on Palestinians to continue their resistance and for Muslim governments to support them.

Iran initiated al-Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, in 1979, the year of the Islamic Revolution. It commemorates it with anti-Israel speeches, events and threats to “liberate” Jerusalem from Israeli control.

This year the day falls close to Israel’s own Jerusalem Day, celebrated on May 10, which marks the unification of the capital during the 1967 Six Day War.

Despite virus restrictions, a number of people came out “spontaneously” in the capital Tehran, state TV said, showing the usual burning of flags and chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

Meanwhile, protesters in Peshawar in Pakistan burned American, Israeli and Indian flags to the day, held on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

Rallies were also held in Syria and Israeli flags were painted on Iraqi roads for cars to drive over.

However, Berlin banned the annual anti-Israel Quds Day march this year, the first time the city has taken a stand against the event since it became a local tradition in 1996. It is illegal in Germany to call for the destruction of Israel.

“The Zionists are the enemies of the region and of the security of the Palestinian people,” said Rouhani during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. “They are the enemies of the nations of the region and the tormentors of the atrocities in history which have displaced millions of people from their homes.” 

“The Zionists hold grudges against the Iranian nation… and have always tried to strike this nation,” he added.

Rohani also claimed Israel is failing in “its two great attempts” to oppose the return of the United States to the 2015 agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program and undermine Tehran’s ties with neighboring states.

He also touched on talks to revive the nuclear deal, predicting that the United States will lift sanctions soon, which President Joe Biden has repeatedly vowed not to do until Iran ensures compliance with the agreement.

“Today our people are witnessing the fruit of their patience and resistance in the Vienna talks and, in my opinion, as head of government, the sanctions have been broken and they will soon be lifted if we are all united,” he concluded.

Read More at Times of Israel and I24

FREE COPY: Understanding the threat from Iran

Covering the threat from Iran to Israel and the West, plus the plight of the Iranian people: Read our Operation Mordecai campaign booklet online or receive a FREE copy by post.

Related Articles:

“Blamed if they do, blamed if they don’t” – the return of an age-old antisemitic trope

A medieval antisemitic trope has re-emerged to weaponize the narrative, twisting Israel’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Even feeding the hungry is now grounds to vilify Israel — and history warns us...

Before lecturing Israel, Labour should get Britain’s house in order

A British government minister's recent remarks telling Israel to “get its house in order” are not only ill-judged, they are hypocritical and reveal a deeper problem within the Labour...

WATCH: CUFI Washington Summit Recap

The Lord's timing in orchestrating CUFI's 20th annual Washington Summit was perfect.The leadership of CUFI UK were pleased to join with Christians from across the United States in...

Why do Christians support Israel?

It seems a growing number of 'Christian' influencers are jumping on the anti-Israel bandwagon. They are rejecting the truth of the Bible, spouting hatred against Israel, and twisting...

Labour pledged to ban Iran’s IRGC if in power – now it must act

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is not yet banned in the UK. Yet, in 2023, the Labour opposition pledged to proscribe the IRGC if it came to power. Now that Labour is in government—and...