
Khamenei seen publicly for first time since end of war with Israel
July 6 (UPI) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was seen in public over the weekend for the first time since Israel began its war on Iran on June 13.
The Iranian leader appeared Saturday at the Hosseiniyeh of Imam Khomeini, a mosque in Tehran named after the founder of the Islamic Republic, to lead the commemoration on the eve of Ashura, which marks the anniversary of the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Husayn ibn Ali.
Khamenei, the longest-ruling leader in the Middle East, did not deliver any remarks during the event, Press TV reported, but did call over prominent eulogist Mahmoud Karimi and whisper something in his ear.
Throughout the brief war, Khamenei reportedly spent his time in a bunker and delivered three televised addresses to the country.
"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there. We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least for now," Trump said on his Truth Social platform during the brief conflict.
It was later confirmed by CBS News that Israel had the opportunity to assassinate Khamenei but Trump had opposed the plan.
Khamenei's appearance in Tehran was praised by senior Iranian authorities and political figures on social media, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi -- who is in Brazil for the annual BRICS summit.
Separately, Aragachi published remarks he delivered to the summit in which he emphasized Iran's position on the question of Palestine. Instead of a two-state solution that would establish a Palestinian state alongside Israel, Aragachi called for the establishment of a new democratic state that would encompass Israel and Palestine.
"We all know that as long as the Palestinian issue is not resolved in a just manner, their right to self-determination is not guaranteed, and the crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinians are not stopped, insecurity and tension will not end in our region, and peace and stability will not be established," Aragachi said.
He said that talks for a two-state solution, supported by the United Nations and the former administration of President Joe Biden, "has not reached anywhere" and said that the Israeli government is the biggest impediment to the creation of a Palestinian state.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers a just solution for Palestine to be a referendum with the participation of all the original inhabitants of Palestine, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims," Aragachi said.
"This is not an unrealistic or out-of-reach solution, just as the apartheid regime in South Africa was stabilized through a referendum and democracy, and not by dividing South Africa into two parts, white and black."
Aragachi said that resolving the Palestinian problem is the primary issue keeping the region from peace and that Iran hopes to see the formation of a single democratic state in which Jews, Muslims and Christians live together in peace.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


UPI
19 minutes ago
- UPI
Ghislaine Maxwell set for second meeting with Deputy AG Todd Blanche
Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, is speaking with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for a second day. File photo by Rick Bajornas/UN Handout Photo/EPA July 25 (UPI) -- Ghislaine Maxwell, associate of child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, is meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche Friday to answer more questions about her knowledge of Epstein's crimes and who may have associated with him. The two met Thursday and spoke for six hours at a federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Fla. Friday's meeting is a continuation of the questioning. Blanche is a former defense attorney of President Donald Trump. Before leaving for Scotland Friday, Trump brushed off questions about Epstein. "I have nothing to do with the guy," Trump said of Epstein. He socialized with Epstein for years before falling out with him in the mid-2000s. Trump said reporters should focus on those who allegedly spent time with Epstein, such as former President Bill Clinton and ex-Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who was also once the president of Harvard. People "don't talk about them. They talk about me," he complained. "You should focus on Clinton. You should focus on the president of Harvard, the former president of Harvard, you should focus on some of the hedge fund guys," CNBC reported that Trump said. "I'll give you a list. These guys lived with Jeffrey Epstein, I sure as hell didn't." When asked if he would pardon Maxwell, who has served five years of a 20-year sentence for finding and grooming young girls for Epstein's abuse, Trump said, "It's something I haven't thought about." "I'm allowed to do it," he added. Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus said Maxwell was "hoping for another productive day." "Ghislaine has been treated unfairly for over five years now," he added. "If you looked up scapegoat in the dictionary, her face would be next to the definition next to the dictionary definition of it," he said. "So, you know, we're grateful for this opportunity to finally be able to say what really happened, and that's what we're going to do yesterday and today." "We just ask that folks look at what she has to say with an open mind, and that's what Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has promised us, and everything she says can be corroborated, and she's telling the truth," Markus said. "She's got no reason to lie at this point, and she's going to keep telling the truth." Markus refused to comment on the nature of the questioning. On social media, Blanche said he would reveal what he learned from Maxwell "at the appropriate time." The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that a recent review of Epstein-related documents by the Justice Department and FBI allegedly found that Trump's name appeared several times in the files. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., during a press conference on Wednesday, said making the Epstein files public needs to be done in a way that protects the victims mentioned, some of whom are minors.


Politico
22 minutes ago
- Politico
Trump on Hamas: ‘They want to die'
'We're down to the final hostages, and basically because of that they really didn't want to make a deal,' Trump said. Special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday that the U.S. had pulled out of talks with Hamas because the U.S.-designated terrorist group — which had just submitted its latest response to a ceasefire proposal — was not negotiating in 'good faith.' As those talks deteriorated, pressure mounted this week against Israel by some of America's closest allies. French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that France would become the first G7 country to recognize a Palestinian state. And Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday, 'The situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world's worst fears.' Earlier this week, a U.N. World Food Programme official said about a quarter of the population in Gaza is facing famine-like conditions, and nearly 100,000 women and children are experiencing severe, acute malnutrition. Last month, a U.N.-partnered report found that 96 percent of the Gazan population is facing crisis levels of acute food insecurity and that there was a 'high risk' of famine across the Gaza strip. Asked Friday about Macron's announcement, Trump called the French president 'a very good guy,' but added that 'what he says doesn't matter' and that his 'statement doesn't carry any weight.' Asked if he had spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about allowing foreign aid drops into Gaza, Trump said he had called Netanyahu but declined to share details, other than calling it 'sort of disappointing.' Israel has reportedly said that it will allow a new round of foreign aid drops in Gaza in the coming days. A U.S. official familiar with conversations among senior officials said there is growing Trump administration concern about the crisis and that officials are trying to figure out the best way to respond. The person was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations. Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.


The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Israel will allow nations to drop food into Gaza
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will allow foreign countries to drop aid into the Gaza Strip, according to a report Friday on Israel Army Radio, citing an army source. The military will allow the United Arab Emirates and Jordan to resume air-dropping aid packages, as they did in 2024, according to the Jerusalem Post. On Wednesday, more than 100 aid groups warned that Gaza is on the brink of starvation, and UNWRA said that one in five children is malnourished. The U.N. announced on Tuesday that more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while waiting in food lines. Israel, however, maintains that Hamas is putting a spotlight on hunger in Gaza amid ceasefire negotiations. The IDF posted on X on Friday, 'We operate every day to bring in aid, Hamas operates every day to create a perception of crisis. The international community needs to know the truth!' – COL Abdullah Halabi, Head of the CLA Gaza, on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom crossing.' According to the Jerusalem Post, the IDF has recognized that there is food insecurity in Gaza but not starvation. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott at a briefing Thursday mirrored Israel's stance that Hamas is preventing aid from entering Gaza and said during a press briefing, 'The only group weaponizing aid is Hamas.' The Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, an agency under the Israeli Ministry of Defense, also posted on X, 'Contrary to popular narratives, there is NO LIMIT on the number of humanitarian aid trucks that can enter Gaza. The real bottleneck lies with the UN and international organizations, whose collection of aid from the crossings dropped sharply over the past month.' The IDF and the State Department have not immediately responded to requests for comment. The World Central Kitchen resumed its operation at Deir al-Balah Field Kitchen in Gaza after it had to pause for five days due to a lack of ingredients. It was the second time they have had to pause since the beginning of the war, according to a press release. 'Our ability to continue cooking remains uncertain day-to-day,' the group wrote. On Thursday, the U.S. said it was leaving from ceasefire talks between Gaza and Israel and said they are exploring other options to find a peaceful solution. 'We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,' Witkoff wrote in a post on the social media site X. Also Thursday, France announced that it will recognize Palestinian statehood in September, marking the first of the G7 countries to do this.