The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appeared in public in what is considered the Iranian leader’s first public appearance since the start of the Israeli and American offensive on Iran that began on June 13 and ended on June 24.
During that period, the Reuters agency reported that Donald Trump vetoed an attempt by Israel to kill the Ayatollah, and days later the President of the United States said, “I saved him from a very ugly and humiliating death.”
How was the reappearance of the Ayatollah?
Khamenei, 86 years old, took part in a mourning ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Husseiniyah on the night of Ashura, between July 4th and 5th, as reported by the Iranian public television, IRIB.
During the event, the speaker, Hoyatoleslam Masud Alí, emphasized Iran’s “perseverance and resistance” against “oppression” and praised Iran’s leadership in the “axis of resistance.” In contrast, he stated that the “global Zionism” represents the “axis of the front of falsehood.”
“Following the teachings of Ashura, the Iranian nation will never surrender in the face of falsehood,” the speaker commented as reported by the Iranian news agency Mizan.
Iran tries to return to normalcy
Iranian authorities reopened the airspace throughout the country this Friday for the first time since the ceasefire reached on June 24 after twelve days of conflict with Israel.
The measure affects airports in the north, west, and south of the country, as those in the eastern region were already operational since last week, as reported by the Iranian news agency IRNA.
Thus, it includes the two airports in Tehran, Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini, although for now operations remain suspended in Isfahan and Tabriz, two of the most affected by Israel’s bombings.