Iran Supreme Leader Calls for Cutting Ties with Israel ‘for Limited Period’

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is seen at a military exhibition. (Supreme Leader's website)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is seen at a military exhibition. (Supreme Leader's website)
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Iran Supreme Leader Calls for Cutting Ties with Israel ‘for Limited Period’

Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is seen at a military exhibition. (Supreme Leader's website)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is seen at a military exhibition. (Supreme Leader's website)

Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei urged regional countries to sever their "political relationship with the Zionist [Israeli] regime at least for a limited period."

Khamenei said Israel's "defeat" in its war against the Hamas movement is "a reality" and reveals the "failure" of Western countries.

During a visit to the Ashura Aerospace University of Science and Technology, Khamenei toured an exhibition showing the latest achievements of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force.

During the visit, officials unveiled the "Fattah 2" hypersonic cruise missile, the "Mehran" mobile defense system, the upgraded "9th of Dey" system, and the "Shahed 147" drone.

"Some Islamic governments have condemned Israeli crimes in assemblies while some have not. This is unacceptable," Khamenei said, reiterating that the main task of Islamic governments should be to cut off Israel from energy and goods, reported Reuters.

He made similar remarks weeks ago.

Khamenei added: "Islamic governments should at least cut off political ties to Israel for a limited time."

His website quoted him as saying that the events in Gaza revealed "many hidden facts", including the support of the heads of Western countries for "racial discrimination".

"Despite the massive bombings in Gaza, the Zionist regime has so far failed in its action because they said from the beginning that their goal is to destroy and cripple Hamas and the Resistance, but after more than 40 days and after using all their military power, they have not yet been able to do this," he said.

He noted that the "savage bombardment of hospitals, women, and children in Gaza is a sign that the Zionist leaders are enraged by their defeat."

"The Zionist regime's defeat in Gaza is a fact. Advancing and entering hospitals or people's homes is not a victory because victory means defeating the other side, which is something that the Zionist regime has not been able to achieve so far, nor will it be able to do in the future," he added.

Khamenei accused the leaders of the US, Germany, France and the UK of being racist because of their support and help to the "racist" Israeli regime.

"The Zionists consider themselves as a superior race and consider the rest of the human race to be inferior. That is why they have killed several thousand children without any remorse," he added.



Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
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Grossi Wants to Meet with Iran’s Pezeshkian ‘at Earliest Convenience’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi speaks to the media at the Dupont Circle Hotel in Washington, US, March 15, 2023. (Reuters)

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi announced he intends to visit Tehran through a letter he addressed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian Mehr Agency reported that Grossi sent a congratulatory message to the Iranian president-elect, which stated: “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on your election win as President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“Cooperation between the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been at the focal attention of the international circles for many years. I am confident that, together, we will be able to make decisive progress on this crucial matter.”

“To that effect, I wish to express my readiness to travel to Iran to meet with you at the earliest convenience,” Iran’s Mehr news agency quoted Grossi as saying.

The meeting – should it take place - will be the first for Pezeshkian, who had pledged during his election campaign to be open to the West to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue.

Last week, American and Israeli officials told the Axios news site that Washington sent a secret warning to Tehran last month regarding its fears of Iranian research and development activities that might be used to produce nuclear weapons.

In May, Grossi expressed his dissatisfaction with the course of the talks he held over two days in Iran in an effort to resolve outstanding matters.

Since the death of the former Iranian president, Ibrahim Raisi, the IAEA chief refrained from raising the Iranian nuclear file, while European sources said that Tehran had asked to “freeze discussions” until the internal situation was arranged and a new president was elected.