Rifle in his hand, Iran's Supreme Leader warns Israel 'will not last long'

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, was seen holding a Russian-made Dragunov rifle while addressing thousands of Iranians as he insisted that Iran would not back down in the face of Israeli aggression.

In Short

• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seen holding Russian-made rifle during Friday sermon
• Insists Iran will not back down in face of Israeli aggression
• He also sought to justify Iran's largest missile attack on Israel

Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's first Friday sermon in half a decade was more about optics than just rhetoric against its arch rival Israel. Apart from choosing the historic Imam Khomeini Mosque, which played a key role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, for his rare sermon, Khamenei was seen holding a Russian-made Dragunov rifle while addressing thousands of Iranians.

The image of the 85-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader flanked by a rifle was a symbol of deterrence, as Khamenei insisted that Iran would not back down in the face of Israeli aggression. "We must stand up against the enemy while strengthening our unwavering faith," Khamenei said, warning that Israel "will not last long".

Khamenei, speaking predominantly in Arabic but also in Farsi, also used the opportunity of a public appearance to boost the morale of Iran's military and the nation as a whole following a string of setbacks suffered by Tehran and its regional allies.

Tensions between Iran and Israel were already mounting following the killings of Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and top Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps commander Abbas Nilforoushan.

The assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, chief of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror outfit, led to a drastic escalation as Tehran launched a barrage of 200 missiles towards Tel Aviv, bringing the two nations to the brink of war.

Khamenei also sought to justify Iran's largest missile attack on Israel. "The move taken by our armed forces was the least punishment in the face of the crimes of the Zionist regime," he said.

"The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate," Khamenei, who wields the highest authority in Iran, further said.

The Supreme Leader also sought to portray through the size of the huge crowd attending the ceremony that ordinary people supported the leadership's decision to attack Israel.

The Supreme Leader last led Friday prayers in January 2020 after Iran fired missiles at a US Army base in Iraq following a drone strike that killed top Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.