Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, January 17, 2020—Iranian regime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei led Tehran’s Friday prayer sermon for the first time in eight years on Friday, January 17, indicating the importance of recent developments for the mullahs’ regime.
Citing lies about “millions” of people taking part in state ceremonies held for the now-dead Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani, Khamenei was desperate to decrease concerns among the regime’s forces and prevent further defections that are already on the rise. Khamenei also resorted to saber-rattling in regard to the January 8 missile attacks launched from western Iran into Iraq targeting military bases where U.S. troops are stationed.
“… those few hundred people who insulted the image of Qassem Soleimani,” Khamenei said in a show of his deep anger over the Iranian people and brave youth showing their hatred regarding the Soleimani, the murderer of thousands upon thousands of innocent people both inside Iran and abroad.
January 12 – Tehran, #Iran
Protesters set a large banner of Qassem Soleimani on fire.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/sg7rlcZ5jb— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 12, 2020
As always, members of the IRGC and paramilitary Basij bused to the site of Khamenei’s remarks, were present to begin chanting their usual choir against the U.S., United Kingdom and the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
Despite remaining silent on the subject of the Ukraine airliner downing by the IRGC that left 176 innocent people killed, Khamenei resorted to despicable remarks to somehow downgrade the issue’s importance. “They attempted to portray this in a manner” to cloak the state ceremonies for Soleimani and the regime’s missile attack targeting military bases housing U.S. soldiers in Iraq.
Khamenei characterized the IRGC Qods Force as "combatants without borders" in a clear indication that he remains all the more committed to the mullahs’ regional meddling and terrorism and praised Soleimani for organizing and strengthening the regime’s extraterritorial attacks.
The very fact that Khamenei saw it necessary to preside over the Friday prayers for the first time after eight years is a sign of extreme crises engulfing his regime. This comes especially after the November 2019 uprising that has continued with ongoing protests in the past two weeks.
January 16 – Sanandaj, western #Iran
During the funeral of airplane crash victims, protesters are chanting, "Death to tyrants, be it the Shah or the Leader," signaling that they want neither the overthrown monarchy nor the mullahs.#IranProtestspic.twitter.com/3nbJdnR9Nm— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) January 16, 2020
In highlighting further concerns for the mullahs’ regime, Khamenei lashed out at France, Germany and the United Kingdom for triggering a dispute mechanism over the Iranian regime’s violations of the 2015 nuclear deal. Despite his harsh tone, Khamenei was careful not to cancel his option of negotiations, saying his regime has no problem with negotiations, just not with the U.S.
