Khamenei Calls on Muslim Countries to Unite Against the US and Israel

A written message attributed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was published on his Telegram channel on August 30, calling on Muslim countries to unite against those he described as “our true enemies,” the United States and Israel.

The message was published as part of Islamic Unity Week, which marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

In it, the leaders of Gulf countries are urged to unite against the United States and Israel.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was reportedly wounded in US-Israeli airstrikes about six months ago that killed his father and the previous supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Since the war began in late February, no audio or video statements from him have been released, raising questions about his physical condition.

Numerous unconfirmed reports claim that he suffered severe facial injuries, while US President Donald Trump said on August 27 that he believed Khamenei was still alive but “very seriously wounded.”

The latest message comes just days after another message attributed to Khamenei, in which he called for an end to the “display of weaknesses” that would “damage social cohesion” in Iran and provide “great assistance to the enemy,” as US sanctions continue to hit the country.

Khamenei specifically asked Arab Gulf leaders to consider whether “bandits without an identity” would dare covet their lands and wealth if the peoples and governments of the Gulf were “united under the banner of Islam.”

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Arab Gulf monarchies have viewed Iran’s revolutionary ideology, including its anti-monarchy rhetoric and regional influence, as a threat to their political systems.

During the current conflict, Tehran has struck US military targets and other infrastructure in the Gulf states, highlighting tensions between Tehran and its neighbors in the Persian Gulf./REL