At the grand and magnificent gathering of people in the politico-spiritual Friday prayers in Tehran, Ayatollah Imam Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, described the unity and solidarity of Muslims as a source of divine mercy, honour, and victory over their enemies. He said, "According to the principles of Islamic defensive action, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic, and international law, the brilliant action of the Iranian armed forces in punishing the bloodthirsty Zionist regime was entirely legal and legitimate. The Islamic Republic will fulfil any duty it deems necessary in this regard without delay or haste, with power, strength, and determination."

In the prayers which were attended by countless believing, revolutionary, and responsible people of Tehran in the Imam Khomeini (RA) Prayer Hall and extending into kilometres of the surrounding streets, Ayatollah Khamenei also described the martyr, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, as a source of pride and a beloved figure in the Islamic world, as well as the articulate voice of the nations in the region. He said, "The impact of the personality of this champion of resistance and brave flagbearer of the oppressed will grow after his martyrdom. The nations of the region and those striving in the path of God will wholeheartedly pursue the message of his martyrdom: greater faith and reliance on God, stronger unity, and a more determined continuation of the struggle until the defeat and destruction of the Zionist enemy."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution explained the Qur'anic policy of Muslim unity and said, "The leadership of Muslims, characterised by connection, empathy, and cooperation, leads to the wise and honourable assistance of God, which results in overcoming obstacles and achieving victory over enemies."

He mentioned that the opposite of this divine policy is the divisive strategy of the world's oppressors and aggressors, adding, "The Islamic Ummah has suffered dramatically from the divide and rule policy of the oppressors, but today is the day of awakening for Muslims, and we must not allow this evil policy to be repeated."

Referring to the various military, political, economic, social, and cultural policies of the enemies aimed at sowing discord, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "The enemy of the Iranian nation is the same enemy of the nations of Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and other Islamic countries, and all the aggressive and divisive orders are issued from a single command room, with only the methods differing according to the Islamic country."

The Leader of the Revolution said, "If any nation wants to avoid falling into the paralysing siege of the enemy, it must remain vigilant. As soon as the enemy approaches another nation, it should rush to aid that nation; otherwise, their turn will be next."

The Leader of the Revolution referred to the precise rules of defence in Islam regarding the legitimacy and rationality of defending one's land, home, and interests; he said that according to Islam, the Constitution, and international law and reason, the defence of nations which will include the Palestinian people, that are the victims of aggression and occupation is entirely legitimate, and no one, or any global entity or organisation, has any right to object to them. He said, "For this reason, no one has the right to protest against the people of Lebanon and Hezbollah for assisting the oppressed people of Gaza and supporting the uprising of the Palestinian people."

He spoke about the Al-Aqsa Storm operation that occurred earlier as a correct, logical action in line with international law and the rights of the Palestinian people and praised the courageous defence of the Palestinians by the Lebanese people.

Based on this, Ayatollah Khamenei described the recent brilliant operation by our armed forces against the Zionist regime as entirely legitimate and legal, saying, "The operation of our armed forces was the smallest punishment of the usurping Zionist regime, the wolf-like and rabid dog of America in the region, in response to that bloodthirsty regime's heinous crimes."

He asserted that the Islamic Republic would carry out any duty regarding this issue with power, strength, and decisiveness, adding, "We will neither procrastinate nor neglect this duty nor will we act hastily. What is reasonable, logical, and correct will be executed at the appropriate time according to the opinions of the military and political decision-makers. Just as this action was carried out, similar actions will be taken in the future if necessary."

In the second sermon, which he recited in Arabic, the Leader of the Revolution addressed all Muslims worldwide, specifically the dear nations of Lebanon and Palestine. He said, "I deemed it necessary to honour my brother and dear one, the source of my pride, the beloved figure of the Islamic world, and the eloquent voice of the nations in the region, the shining gem of Lebanon, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (may Allah be pleased with him), during the Friday prayer in Tehran."

He mentioned that we are all in deep mourning and grief over the tremendous loss of the beloved martyr, adding, "However, our mourning is not one of dejection, distress, or despair; rather, it is of the same essence as mourning for Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), which is life-giving, instructive, motivating, and inspiring of hope."

Ayatollah Khamenei described martyr Nasrallah's true character as something that will endure, saying, "He was the proud banner of resistance against the tyrannical and plundering evildoers; a vocal advocate and brave defender of the oppressed, and a source of encouragement and courage for fighters and seekers of justice."

The Leader of the Revolution continued, "His popularity and influence extended beyond Lebanon, Iran, and Arab countries, and now his martyrdom will enhance this impact."

He said that the most important verbal and practical message of martyr Nasrallah during his lifetime for the Lebanese people was avoiding despair and distress due to the loss of prominent figures like Imam Musa Sadr and Sayyid Abbas Mousawi. He said, "The message of martyr Nasrallah was, 'Do not entertain doubt in the path of struggle; increase your efforts and capabilities; strengthen your solidarity; resist the aggressive and invading enemy by strengthening your faith and trust in God, and make them fail. Today, this is also the request of our martyred leader from his people, from the Resistance Front, and all the Islamic ummah."

Ayatollah Khamenei attributed the enemy's inability to inflict severe damage on the powerful organisations of Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other groups of fighters in the path of God as the reason why they assassinate, destroy, bomb, and kill civilians, thereby causing grief to the unarmed. He said, "The enemy considers these actions a sign of their victory; however, the result of this behaviour is the accumulation of anger and increased motivation among the people, leading to the emergence of more men, commanders, leaders, and the selfless, tightening the noose around the neck of the bloodthirsty wolf ultimately resulting in the elimination of its disgraceful existence from the pages of history."

He spoke about martyr Nasrallah's thirty years of patient and logical struggle and planning, as well as Hezbollah's gradual advancement, which caused the Zionist regime to retreat at various stages. He said, "Hezbollah is genuinely a good tree (Shajarah Tayyibah), and Hezbollah and its heroic, martyred leader represent the essence of Lebanon's historic virtue and identity."

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned that Iranians were familiar with Lebanon and its virtues and that Iran benefitted from the blessings and knowledge of prominent religious and scholarly figures from Lebanon during the Sardarān and Safavid rulership, saying, "Fulfilling our duty to wounded and bloodied Lebanon is the responsibility of us and all Muslims."

He said that by defending Gaza, striving for Al-Aqsa Mosque, and striking against the usurping and oppressive regime, Hezbollah and the martyred leader have taken vital steps in service to the entire region and the Muslim world.

Ayatollah Khamenei described the reliance of the U.S. and its allies on maintaining the security of the usurping regime as a cover for their lethal policy of turning the regime into a tool for seizing all the resources of the region and for using them in major global conflicts. He said, "Their policy is to transform the regime into a gateway for exporting energy from the region to the Western world and importing goods and technology from the West into the region. This means ensuring the existence of the usurping regime and the entire region's dependence on it."

He pointed out that the brutal and reckless behaviour of the Zionist regime towards the fighters stems from their voracity for such a situation, adding, "This reality informs us that every blow to the usurping regime by anyone or any group is of service to the entire region and indeed to all of humanity."

The Leader of the Revolution described the Zionist and American dream of guaranteeing the existence of the usurping regime as an empty and unattainable fantasy, saying, "This artificial regime is an example of a corrupt tree, which, as described in the Holy Quran, is rootless and unstable, which has only managed to stay upright through the injection of American support. By God's grace, this too will not last long."

He pointed out that the clear reason for the instability of the Zionist regime was its inability to confront the besieged warriors, saying, "For a year now, the enemy has spent billions of dollars in Gaza and Lebanon, and with the full support of the U.S. and several other Western governments, has faced a few thousand fighters and warriors in the path of God who are besieged and blocked from getting any outside assistance. They have only succeeded in bombing unarmed individuals in homes, schools, hospitals, and civilian population centres."

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out the reality that the criminal Zionist band has gradually concluded that they will never defeat Hamas and Hezbollah. Addressing the resilient people of Lebanon and Palestine, as well as the brave fighters and the patient, grateful public, he said, "These martyrs and this bloodshed will not weaken your movement; rather, they will make it stronger."

He cited the martyrdom of many high-ranking officials and pillars of the Islamic Revolution in the summer of 1981 (1360 H.S.). He said, "The loss of these dear ones was not easy; however, the revolution did not stand still or retreat. Instead, it gained momentum. Today, the resistance in the region will not retreat due to these martyrdoms and will prevail."

The Leader of the Revolution pointed out that the resistance in Gaza has captivated the world's attention and has brought honour to Islam. He said, "In Gaza, Islam has stood firm against all evil and wickedness, and there is no free person who does not salute this steadfastness and curse its brutal and bloodthirsty enemy."

He observed that the Al-Aqsa Storm and the year-long resistance of Gaza and Lebanon have forced the Zionist regime to focus on preserving its existence, stating, "This means that the struggle of the fighters from Palestine and Lebanon has been able to push the Zionist regime back by 70 years."

Ayatollah Khamenei identified the existence of the Zionist regime and the presence of governments claiming to pursue peace and tranquillity as the leading causes of war, insecurity, and backwardness in the region. He said, "The main problem in the region is foreign interference. The governments in this region are capable of establishing peace and security, and for this tremendous and lifesaving goal, the efforts and struggles of these nations and governments are necessary."

At the end of the Friday prayer sermon, which had such a large and victorious attendance, he said that on this path, God is with those who follow it and extended his greetings to the warriors of God's cause, saying, "Peace be upon the martyr leader Nasrallah, upon the martyr hero Haniyeh, and the esteemed commander, General Qassem Soleimani."

At the end of the rite, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution led the Friday and the afternoon prayers.