Speaking at a meeting with a high-ranking delegation from the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, in Tehran on Monday, Ayatollah Khamenei described the Palestinian issue as “the first and foremost issue of the Muslim world” and hailed the resistance of the Palestinian people and political groups, including Hamas, as “wonderful”.

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“Victory will not be achieved without resistance and struggle and, based on a definite divine promise, we believe that the issue of Palestine will surely end in favor of the Palestinian people and the Islamic world,” the Leader stated.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran does not stand on ceremony with any country in the world when it comes to Palestine,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, adding, “We have always expressed our views on Palestine clearly and transparently.”

“Even in the international arena, our friendly countries, with whom we have differences of opinion in this regard, know that the Islamic Republic is completely serious on the Palestinian issue,” the Leader stated.

“One of the major causes of hostility toward the Islamic Republic of Iran is the issue of Palestine but these hostilities and pressures will not make Iran retreat from its stance on the issue because support for Palestine is a religious issue,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

“If the Islamic world had stood firm unitedly with regard to the issue of Palestine, it would have better conditions now,” the Leader went on to say.

The move by countries that toe the line of the U.S., like Saudi Arabia, to distance themselves from the Palestinian issue is “absurd” because if they had supported the Palestinians, they could have won major concessions from the United States, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed.

He went on to say that it is an achievable dream that the Hezbollah secretary-general would one day say his prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied Palestine.

“Mr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah says he will, Inshallah, pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque one day. To us, this is a totally feasible and achievable hope,” the Leader said.

“On the issue of Palestine, the Islamic Republic observes no ceremonies with any country in the world,” the Leader said.