Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: Iran’s supreme chief makes first public look since Israel struggle | EUROtoday

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made his first public look because the 12-day struggle between Israel and Iran, which claimed the lives of high army leaders and nuclear scientists.

Seen for the primary time in over 20 days, Mr Khamenei was proven in a state tv broadcast on Saturday coming into a mosque corridor and greeting individuals seated on the ground.

It got here on a day when worshippers mourn the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, a major date for Shia Muslims.

Mr Khamenei, 86, was seen wearing black as the group rose from the bottom, raised their fists within the air, and chanted: “The blood in our veins for our leader!”

Mr Khamenei’s absence throughout the struggle had steered heightened safety measures for the Iranian chief, who holds the ultimate say on all state issues.

There was no rapid report on any public assertion made.

The chief launched a pre-recorded video final week to handle the Iranian public however had not been seen in public since Israel launched a significant army operation towards Iran on 13 June.

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Iran has acknowledged the deaths of greater than 900 individuals within the struggle, in addition to 1000’s of injured. It additionally has confirmed severe harm to its nuclear services, and has denied entry to the websites for inspectors with the UN nuclear watchdog.

Mr Khamenei hosted a remembrance of the seventh century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, Hussein, at a mosque subsequent to his workplace and residence within the capital, Tehran. Iranian officers such because the Parliament speaker have been current, and such occasions are all the time held below heavy safety.

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Shiites signify over 10 per cen of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims, they usually view Hussein because the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein’s dying in battle by the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, created a rift in Islam and continues to play a key function in shaping Shiite identification.

In predominantly Shiite Iran, pink flags represented Hussein’s blood and black funeral tents and garments represented mourning. Processions of chest-beating and self-flagellating males demonstrated fervour. Some sprayed water over the mourners within the intense warmth.

Israel relentlessly attacked Iran starting June 13, focusing on its nuclear websites, defence techniques, high-ranking army officers and atomic scientists. According to official figures, the strikes killed greater than 900 individuals in Iran, whereas retaliatory Iranian missile assaults on Israeli cities left at the least 28 individuals useless.

After the US focused three nuclear services throughout the Iran-Israel struggle, Donald Trump claimed the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. However, final week, the top of the UN nuclear watchdog mentioned Iran may produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months”.

Rafael Grossi, director normal of the International Atomic Energy Agency, instructed US broadcaster CBS News that the strikes on three Iranian websites had prompted vital, although not complete, harm.

He mentioned: “Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there.

“They [Iran] can have, you know, in a matter of months, I would say, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that … Iran has the capacities there: industrial and technological capacities.”