Leader calls for mounting pressure on Israel as Gaza tops world's issues

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called for piling up pressure on the Israeli regime so that the issue of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip cannot be undermined.

Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks in an address to a group of teachers and academics on Wednesday on the occasion of the National Teachers’ Day, which marks the martyrdom anniversary of Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari.

“Today, the issue of Gaza tops the world’s issues. At the international scene, the Zionists and their American and European supporters are doing whatever they can to cross out the issue of Gaza from the agenda of the world’s public opinion, but all in vain,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader pointed to the pro-Palestine protest by students in American and European universities, and said, "Nations have become sensitive to the Gaza issue as it is the world’s top one. We should not allow this issue to be removed from the world’s public opinion, and pressure must increase on the Zionist regime day by day."

Touching on the US police violence and excessive force against student protesters, the Leader said the harsh treatment attested to the Islamic Republic’s rightful stance regarding its mistrust of America.

“Look at how the Americans and the relevant bodies in the country are dealing with verbal opposition to Israel. The students of US universities did not vandalize anything, did not shout destructive slogans, did not kill anyone, did not set fire to any place, did not break any glass; [but] this is how they are being treated,” the Leader said.

"What people see in practice shows America's partnership and complicity in this horrific crime, in this unforgivable sin, with the Zionist regime. They are accomplices. How can one be optimistic about such a system, about such a regime? How is it possible? Or how can one trust their words?” he added.

Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that Palestine belongs to its “original owners” and normalization attempts will not calm the situation in the West Asia region.

“Palestine must return to its original owners. Palestine belongs to the Palestinian people, including Muslims, Christians and Jews; Palestine is for them and should return to them … this is how the problem of the West Asia region will be solved,” the Leader said.

“Some imagine that forcing neighboring countries to normalize their ties with the Zionist regime will iron out the problem. No, they are mistaken,” the Leader added.

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