Deal of the century a betrayal of the Muslim world – Ayatollah Khamenei

Tabnak – As a principled policy, the Islamic Republic has, from the very first days of its establishment, supported the Palestinian resistance against the Israelis. Now that the US is trying to advance the so-called “deal of the century” to the detriment of the Palestinians, Iran reiterates its opposition to any breach of the rights of the Palestinian nation.

In this vein, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says an upcoming US-devised deal on the Palestine issue is doomed to fail and will “never materialize.”

Ayatollah Khamenei made the comments during a speech at Imam Khomeini’s Mosalla Grand Prayer Grounds in Tehran on Wednesday after leading Eid al-Fitr’s prayers there. The Islamic festivities known as Eid al-Fitr mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

The Leader further rejected US President Donald Trump’s yet-to-be-unveiled deal on the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict as “a betrayal of the Muslim world.”

Ayatollah Khamenei further denounced the Bahraini regime for agreeing to host a conference, where Washington is set to unveil parts of the plan later this month.

All Palestinian groups — along with the United Nations and several other countries — have boycotted the event.

“The objective of this conference is to materialize America’s wrongful, treacherous and evil scheme for Palestinians — which they (Americans) have called ‘the deal of the century.’ However, this will not happen, and this plot will never get off the ground, by divine grace.”

Ayatollah Khamenei described the Palestinian cause against Israeli occupation as the “number one issue” on the agenda of the Islamic world, thanking those who have voiced opposition to the so-called “peace” deal and the relevant event in Bahrain.

“The treachery of some Muslim states such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain set the stage for such an evil plot,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. “I wish Bahraini and Saudi rulers would [eventually] realize what a quagmire they are stepping in and what damages this will do to their future.”

Elsewhere, Ayatollah Khamenei congratulated the Iranian nation on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, expressing his gratitude to people for their mass participation in the nationwide rallies marking International Quds Day on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Later in the day, the Leader received a gathering of Iranian authorities, ambassadors of Muslim countries, and people of various social spectra in a meeting marking Eid al-Fitr.

In a speech addressed to that meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei condemned efforts by certain Muslim states to advance the goals of the United States and Israel.

“[On the contrary,] the Islamic Republic has, from the very beginning, laid emphasis on defending the Palestinian people and stood up to global arrogance,” the Leader said, emphasizing Iran’s resolve to “keep up this steadfastness.”

“Contrary to some former Arab rulers, who believed the Jews should be thrown into the sea,” Iran stands by the belief that all residents of Palestine, including the Jews, should have a say in deciding the fate of this land.

The Leader further reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s proposal for a referendum to be held “within the framework of Palestine’s government system” among the residents of this land, including Muslims, Jews, Christians as well as the Palestinian refugees, who have been displaced from their homeland by the occupiers.

“The Palestinian people’s struggle should continue until that day, the Leader remarked, adding, “Youths will [live to] witness the day when [the land of] Palestine will return to the people of Palestine.”