TEHRAN, Nov 16_Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says Tehran will keep helping the Palestinians with no reservation, and calls on other Muslim countries to follow suit.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club(YJC)_Speaking in a Friday meeting with the ambassadors of Muslim countries and participants of the 33rd Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran’s stance on the issue of Palestine is a principled and definitive one.
"Since the beginning of the Islamic Revolution to this day, we have remained in this position - meaning we have helped and will continue to help Palestine and the Palestinians without any consideration and we view this the duty of the whole Islamic world," the Leader said.
Ayatollah Khamenei touched on the enemies’ efforts to "distort" pronouncements by the late Father of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini and Iranian officials about the elimination of Israel.
“We are in favor of Palestine and its independence and salvation, but the elimination of Israel does not mean the elimination of the Jewish people, because we have nothing to do with them, as a number of Jews live safely in our country.
“The elimination of Israel means the elimination of the fake Zionist regime and that the Palestinian people, be they Muslim, Christian or Jewish who are the main owners of that land, should be able to choose their government," the Leader said.
They should also be able to "kick out outsiders and thugs like [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and run their country, which of course will happen," Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the issue of Palestine as the biggest plight of the Muslim world which has displaced a nation from its home, and underlined the significance of unity among Muslim nations in resolving the issue.
“Had Muslim countries maintained even the minimum levels of unity, we would not have so many plights in the Muslim world today,” the Leader said.