Mojtaba Khamenei urges Gulf states to unite against ‘real enemy’

Tehran, Iran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Muslim countries, particularly those in the Gulf, to unite against what he described as their “real enemy,” saying divisions serve the interests of their adversaries.

The message was published on Khamenei’s Telegram account during Islamic Unity Week, which marks the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

Call for unity

Khamenei called for cooperation among Muslim countries in various fields and for mutual defence. He said those who create divisions among Muslims, “knowingly or unknowingly,” assist Islam’s enemies.

He questioned whether Palestinians would have been left “so helpless” if Muslims had been united.

Khamenei specifically addressed Gulf Arab rulers, asking whether “rogues without identity” would have dared to covet their lands and possessions if Gulf peoples and governments had been “united under the flag 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,” Khamenei said.

Previous statements and regional tensions

Khamenei has not appeared in public since he was injured in U.S.-Israeli airstrikes six months ago that launched the Iran war and killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

His call echoed a statement issued to Iranians on Friday, in which he said he had banned actions that harm social cohesion and urged authorities to avoid “discouraging statements” that weaken national and public morale.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Gulf Arab monarchies have regarded Iran’s revolutionary ideology, including its anti-monarchic rhetoric and regional influence, as a threat to their political systems.

During the current conflict, Tehran has struck U.S. military facilities and other infrastructure in Gulf states, highlighting tensions between Iran and its Gulf neighbours.