Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, has praised US college students for their ongoing protests against Israel during the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khamenei lauded the students for “standing on the right side of history.”
“Dear university students in the United States of America, you are standing on the right side of history,” Khamenei posted.
Additionally, Khamenei penned a longer letter dedicated to college students, commending their protests.
“You have now formed a branch of the Resistance Front and have begun an honorable struggle in the face of your government’s ruthless pressure – a government which openly supports the usurper and brutal Zionist regime,” the letter read.
Khamenei elaborated on his views, accusing the “capitalist Zionist network” of importing terrorists into the region post-World War II with British assistance, leading to violence and displacement of Palestinians. He asserted that the global Zionist elite, which he claims controls much of the US and European media, falsely labels the resistance as terrorism.
Khamenei also commended university professors for supporting these protests, writing, “The support and solidarity of your professors is a significant and consequential development.”
“This can offer some measure of comfort in the face of your government’s police brutality and the pressures it is exerting on you. I too, am among those who empathize with you young people, and value your perseverance,” he added,
Khamenei has a long history of anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric, having previously described Israel as a “cancerous tumor” and a “rabid dog,” and dismissing any notion of friendship with the Israeli people as “incorrect, irrational, pointless, and nonsense.” Several years ago, the Saudi Arabian crown prince claimed that Ayatollah Khamenei is “very much like Hitler.”
The Iranian Supreme leader’s comments follow months of protests on US college campuses, including the so-called Gaza encampments as well as occupations of university buildings. Many protesters have been seen engaging in violence and/or antisemitic rhetoric, falsely labeling Israel as an “apartheid state” or “genocidal.” As college spring semesters have come to an end, many protesters have faced repercussions as universities have ramped up efforts to seek an end to the demonstrations.
This piece first appeared at TPUSA.
