Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued an urgent call for 'firmness and unity' against what he describes as a 'hybrid war' being waged by the United States and Israel. Speaking on the 37th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Khamenei warned that the enemy, after suffering 'decisive blows in both the military field and the social and political sphere', is experiencing 'deep and significant humiliation' that has caused 'visible distancing of various countries from it'. According to latest reports, Khamenei stated that the 'hegemonic system' led by the United States has shifted to a new strategy targeting Iran's internal affairs, resorting to 'comprehensive hybrid war' that aims to undermine the resilience of the Iranian people and disrupt the accountability of its officials. As reported by Al-Jazeera, Khamenei described Israel as a 'fabricated outpost' of that system.
Khamenei outlined the enemy's primary tools in their hybrid war campaign, which include sowing doubt, despair, fear, distrust, and division among the Iranian population. The latest analysis reveals that this war is not being waged with conventional weapons, but rather through 'soft' means that rely on sowing seeds of doubt, despair, and division among the various segments of society. According to the latest reports, the enemy's strategic objective is to undermine the mutual trust between the people and the leadership, while seeking to push officials to make wrong decisions that serve the interests of foreign powers and hinder Iran's progress and sovereignty. Khamenei warned that 'Any action that breeds cynicism or despair among the people is a form of helping the enemy of this country and its people', emphasizing that 'the role of public officials is especially important. Any action that causes pessimism, distrust, or frustration among the population constitutes a form of aid to the enemy of this country and its people'. In his latest message, Khamenei specifically warned that the United States and its allies are attempting to erode public resilience by spreading doubt, fear, pessimism, and discord.
The remarks come as political debate over the conflict continues in the United States, with significant developments in Congress. According to The New York Times, the US House of Representatives delivered a rare rebuke to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, approving a war powers resolution that would halt US military action against Iran. The resolution passed 215-208, marking the first time the House has successfully advanced such a proposal after four previous attempts. A handful of Republicans joined Democrats in backing the measure, with cheers erupting on the House floor after the result was announced. As reported by The New York Times, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and lead sponsor of the effort, declared 'Enough is enough'.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has responded to recent confrontations by declaring that Iran's recent confrontations had demonstrated that threats against the country would no longer go unanswered. In a statement marking the anniversary of Khomeini's death, Ghalibaf said any future aggression against Iran would receive a decisive and proportional response. He argued that recent developments had shown Iran's ability to deter its adversaries and insisted that the period of 'cost-free threats' against the country had come to an end. Meanwhile, Lebanon and Israel have agreed to revive their fragile ceasefire and move toward a new security arrangement aimed at reducing tensions along the border. According to a joint statement issued after a fourth round of US-mediated negotiations in Washington, the two sides agreed to establish 'pilot zones' in southern Lebanon where the Lebanese Armed Forces would exercise exclusive control, with all non-state armed groups excluded from those areas. The agreement stipulates that the ceasefire depends on a complete halt to Hezbollah attacks and the withdrawal of Hezbollah operatives from areas south of the Litani River.
