Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared on Tuesday that Gaza had successfully brought Israel to the point of collapse, referring to the recent ceasefire in the Palestinian region.
This ceasefire agreement, along with a deal for the release of hostages, was struck between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian militant group supported by Tehran. It went into effect just over a week ago, aiming to put an end to the prolonged conflict that had lasted more than 15 months, initiated by Hamas.
Khamenei remarked during a gathering in Tehran, “The small, limited Gaza brought the Zionist regime, armed to the teeth and fully supported by America, to its knees.”
The conflict in Gaza erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an invasion into southern Israel with thousands of militants, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals, most of them civilians. Along with the casualties, 251 hostages were taken, 87 of whom are still held in Gaza, including many whom Israel believes are deceased.
The ceasefire agreement, which spans six weeks, includes a provision for Hamas to release hostages in exchange for Israel pulling back its forces from large portions of Gaza. It also calls for the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners, including many convicted of serious terrorist offenses.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mocked former US President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians, suggesting instead that Israel should be relocated to Greenland to settle the matter.
In an interview with Sky News, posted on his official Telegram account, Araghchi quipped, “Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis, take them to Greenland, killing two birds with one stone.” He continued, “They can resolve the problem of Greenland and the Israelis, it would be a good place for them.”
Trump had previously voiced his proposal to move Palestinians from Gaza to regions like Egypt or Jordan, and had long expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, a Danish territory, as part of US expansion.
Earlier that same day, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the idea of forcibly removing Palestinians from Gaza, writing on social media, “Political coercion and demographic manipulations will not be able to force the Palestinians to migrate.” He emphasized that Gaza is the “homeland” of the Palestinians, who have endured tremendous sacrifices to remain there.
Sky News also inquired about the challenges faced by Iran’s allies in the region during the Gaza war, including the damage inflicted by Israel on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which launched attacks against Israel the day after the Hamas assault. They also asked about the situation in Syria, where the Assad regime’s influence has waned.
In response to suggestions that Iran’s regional strategy had failed, Araghchi downplayed the notion, stating, “I don’t think so, these things happen in the world.”
He then switched to speaking in Persian and explained, “The resistance has been rendered some serious blows. Hamas and Hezbollah have been damaged. But at the same time, they are rebuilding themselves.”
{Matzav.com Israel}