Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, exhorted the people and leaders of the Muslim world to support the Palestinian uprising in a message Wednesday to mark the Eid el-Fitr holiday.
"It is a religious and humanitarian duty for the Muslim people and states to support the Palestinian struggle" against Israel, Khamenei said during a ceremony marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
"The intifada will continue despite Israeli repression," Khamenei told several thousand worshippers who had gathered for collective prayers at Mosala, in northern Tehran.
"The Zionists' dream of ruling without any difficulty over the territory which they have seized will not be achieved," Khamenei said.
Iran is staunchly opposed to the Arab-Israeli peace process and does not recognize Israel's right to exist.
Tehran has repeatedly said a solution to the Middle East crisis should be secured through the return of Palestinian refugees to land occupied by Israel and a referendum organised on the "future of Palestine".
Since the outbreak three months ago of the anti-Israeli uprising, Iranian leaders have repeatedly called for the "liberation of Palestine" and branded Israel as a "cancer" that should be removed from the Middle East -- TEHRAN (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
