Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Gulf Arab rulers to unite against what he called their “real enemy”, warning that divisions among Muslim countries serve the interests of their adversaries.
Khamenei made the appeal in a written message published on his Telegram account during Islamic Unity Week, which marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
He called for greater unity, cooperation and mutual defence among Muslim countries, saying those who create divisions between Muslims, whether knowingly or unknowingly, help Islam’s enemies.
He also pointed to the Palestinian conflict, asking whether Palestinians would have been left “so helpless” if Muslim countries had been united.
Khamenei specifically addressed the rulers of Gulf states, asking whether “rogues without identity” would have dared to covet their lands and possessions if the peoples and governments of the Gulf had been united under the banner of Islam.
“My emphatic and repeated recommendation to the rulers of Islamic countries, especially the countries of West Asia and the Gulf, is to identify your real enemy, understand his plan and confront it,” he said.
Iran’s message to the Gulf
The appeal comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and its Gulf neighbours following the war involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
Tehran has attacked US military facilities and other targets in Gulf states during the conflict, adding to longstanding tensions between Iran and Arab monarchies that have viewed its revolutionary ideology and regional influence as threats to their political systems.
Since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, Gulf Arab states have been wary of Tehran’s opposition to monarchies and its support for armed groups and political movements across the region.
Khamenei’s message did not name a specific country as the “real enemy”, but his reference to Gulf security and his call for Muslim countries to confront their adversaries came as the region remains deeply affected by the conflict.
Khamenei calls for unity at home
The supreme leader also appealed for social cohesion inside Iran in a separate message to Iranians on Friday.
He said he had banned actions that could damage social cohesion and urged officials to avoid “discouraging statements” that could weaken national morale.
Khamenei has largely remained out of public view since he was injured in US-Israeli airstrikes six months ago that triggered the Iran war and killed his father and predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
His latest message therefore combines an appeal for unity abroad with a call for greater cohesion inside Iran as the country continues to face the consequences of the conflict.
