2 months ago
1
Iran's Supreme person Mojtaba Khamenei said connected Friday (March 20, 2026) the state had dealt its enemies a "dizzying blow" successful the warfare with the United States and Israel, arsenic caller blasts deed Tehran connected the archetypal time of the Persian New Year festival.
He released a message marking the commencement of Persian New Year which helium named the twelvemonth of a “resistance system nether national unity and nationalist security.”
Israel accused Tehran of an "attack connected the beatified sites" of Jerusalem, aft a blast blew a crater successful the Old CIty a fewer 100 metres from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Mr. Khamenei has not appeared successful nationalist since being named to win his begetter Ali Khamenei, who was killed successful Israeli airstrikes astatine the commencement of the warfare that has engulfed the region, and has lone issued written statements.
Iranians person "dealt him (the enemy) a dizzying stroke truthful that helium present starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense," Mr. Khamenei said successful a written connection for Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
"At the moment, owed to the peculiar unity that has been created betwixt you our compatriots — contempt each the differences successful religious, intellectual, taste and governmental origins — the force has been defeated," Mr. Khamenei said successful the message.
He besides said Iran and allied forces successful the portion were “in nary way” down attacks connected Oman and Turkey during the war, alternatively blaming “deception by the Zionist enemy” successful notation to Israel.
The connection of defiance came arsenic Iranians marked a muted Nowruz nether the shadiness of a warfare present approaching its 4th week.
AFP journalists heard respective blasts successful Tehran connected Friday (March 20, 2026), from the eastbound and bluish parts of the city.
In the Iranian capital's markets, shoppers were retired successful unit buying caller apparel and gifts, though sidewalks were little packed than accustomed for this clip of year, with galore radical having fled north, AFP correspondents said.
'Decimated'
Huge banners bearing images of Nowruz, which begins officially successful the evening, person replaced portraits of the erstwhile person Ali Khamenei, assassinated connected the archetypal time of the warfare connected February 28 by Israel.
Israel said it had confirmed that Ismaeil Ahmadi, the main of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, was "eliminated" successful a onslaught earlier this week that besides killed its apical commander.
Elsewhere successful Iran, the Israeli service besides targeted a bluish portion astir the Caspian Sea, a fashionable vacation destination that has truthful acold been mostly spared attacks.
And successful Jerusalem's Old City, a blast was caused "Iranian rocket fragments", the Israeli subject wrote connected X, and drew an aggravated effect from Israel's overseas ministry.
"The Iranian onslaught connected the beatified sites ineffable to each 3 religions reveals the madness of the Iranian regime, which claims to beryllium religious," the overseas ministry wrote on X, calling it an "Iranian gift" for the Muslim vacation of Eid al-Fitr.
On Thursday (March 29, 2026), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that an extremity to the warring could beryllium close.
Mr. Netanyahu said Iran was "being decimated" and the warfare was "ending a batch faster than radical think", though helium warned a "ground component" whitethorn beryllium needed to dislodge the Iranian government.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said "major concessions — a extremist alteration of stance" would beryllium needed from Iran to unafraid a lasting governmental extremity to the war.
