Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressing workers in Tehran on Monday, declared that the ongoing hostilities in Gaza are inseparably linked to Iran’s broader confrontation with the United States and its allies. This open alignment of the so-called Palestinian struggle with Tehran’s anti-Western agenda underscores the centrality of Iranian influence in fueling regional violence and terrorist activity against Israel and the West.
During his address, Khamenei stated, “the struggle of the Palestinians is also against America.” This declaration represents a strategic attempt by the Iranian regime to elevate the conflict in Gaza beyond local grievances, embedding it within Tehran’s campaign of resistance against Western presence and influence in the Middle East. This announcement serves as a reminder of Iran’s central role in orchestrating and perpetuating multi-front wars against Israel, harnessing local terror organizations as its proxies.
Tehran’s Enduring Alliance with Regional Terror Proxies
The Iranian regime has for decades backed and armed militant organizations such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and various groups in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Through these affiliates, Iran wages ongoing asymmetric warfare aimed at destabilizing Israel, threatening moderate Arab states, and deterring Western involvement. Since the October 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel—recognized as the deadliest antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust—global intelligence agencies have traced significant Iranian material and doctrinal support to Hamas terrorists responsible for the mass murder, abuse, and abduction of civilians.
Recent disclosures from Israeli defense, American intelligence, and European security services have documented the transfer of weapons, funding, and advanced military tactics from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to these groups. Iranian fingerprints are found in the tactics and capabilities utilized in cross-border attacks, rocket barrages, and the construction of military infrastructure embedded in civilian areas of Gaza. This support has enabled Hamas and other terror organizations to entrench themselves in the civilian fabric, exploiting the local population while pursuing Iran’s broader ideological war with the West.
Instrumentalization of Gaza’s Residents
While claiming to champion Gaza’s residents, the Iranian regime’s rhetoric and actions expose a pattern of using the population as leverage in its own geopolitical struggle. Khamenei’s framing, equating the conflict in Gaza with a global resistance against America, reduces local suffering to a footnote in Iran’s quest for regional dominance. In practice, Tehran’s support has prolonged instability, devastated Gaza’s economy, and blocked diplomatic solutions, condemning residents to life under the rule of terror organizations and undercutting prospects for civilian welfare or recovery.
The Iranian regime presents itself as the leader of an “Axis of Resistance,” providing advanced weapons and money to groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. In exchange, it demands unwavering loyalty to its anti-West, anti-Israel doctrine. But this policy has inflicted immense suffering on ordinary people in Gaza and elsewhere, as Iranian-backed tactics—like using schools and hospitals for military operations—invite direct military engagements and amplify the human toll.
Escalating Proxy Conflict Across the Region
Iran’s orchestration of regional violence extends far beyond Gaza. Hezbollah’s massive missile arsenal in Lebanon, ongoing efforts to entrench IRGC-aligned forces in Syria, and Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea all reflect Tehran’s strategy of widespread destabilization. These activities threaten the security of Israel—targeted repeatedly by cross-border rocket attacks and infiltrations—and endanger the stability of neighboring countries. At every front, Iran aims to deter Western involvement and project a narrative of unity against what it brands as foreign occupation.
The Iron Swords War, launched by Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, is seen by Israeli leadership as an act of self-defense against a broad campaign of Iranian-sponsored terror. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir have all underscored that Israel’s military response seeks to neutralize hostile forces while minimizing civilian casualties—despite terrorists’ use of human shields and civilian infrastructure for cover.
Meanwhile, the United States under President Donald Trump has strongly condemned Iranian interventionism, reaffirmed its alliance with Israel, and deployed military assets to deter further regional escalation. In partnership with international allies, the US continues efforts to curb terror financing and missile transfers, maintaining sanctions against Iranian entities and pressing for renewed global resolve to contain Tehran’s ambitions.
Information Warfare and Global Misinformation
A central component of Iran’s strategy has been the export and amplification of disinformation, aiming to cast Iranian-backed proxies as mere local resistance. Iran exploits global media and sympathetic organizations to blur the distinctions between state-sponsored terror and legitimate self-defense. False symmetry in reporting, denial of atrocities, and downplaying of Iran’s guiding role all serve Tehran’s interests while eroding the moral clarity that should underpin international responses.
Documented atrocities—such as the October 7 executions, torture, sexual violence, and ongoing hostage crisis—are repeatedly minimized or denied by Iranian and affiliated media. In contrast, Israel’s efforts to protect civilians and comply with international law are selectively scrutinized or misrepresented, while the realities of terror victimhood, especially the innocence of those abducted by force, are often obscured. Iran’s attempt to reframe all confrontation as part of an anti-American crusade only intensifies this dynamic, weaponizing the suffering of Gaza’s residents and denying them agency.
Historical Origins of Iran’s Anti-Western Posture
The roots of Iran’s policy date to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which inaugurated a regime dedicated to exporting its radical doctrine through ideological and paramilitary means. Iran’s support for Hamas began in earnest in the 1990s and expanded with the operational guidance and technological innovation provided by the IRGC. This alliance has severely undermined efforts for Palestinian autonomy, replacing development with dependency on Iranian direction. Gaza has become a stage for Iranian strategic aims, not a site for local empowerment.
Regional Dynamics and Challenges for the Future
By linking the “Palestinian struggle” to Iran’s anti-Western agenda, Khamenei’s remarks clarify the true engine behind cycles of violence in the region. As Iran maintains its network of proxies, the prospects for ceasefire, economic recovery, and diplomatic normalization remain remote. The ongoing hostage crisis remains a visible and tragic byproduct of this dynamic, with more than 130 abducted Israelis—ranging from babies to the elderly—still unaccounted for. Their predicament highlights the fundamental distinction between innocent civilians and convicted terrorists, a contrast lost in Iranian-aligned rhetoric but legally and morally paramount.
Looking ahead, Israel and its allies are focused on dismantling Iran’s ability to direct terror while safeguarding civilian life. The international community faces a dual challenge: confronting Iranian aggression and countering the misinformation that masks its responsibility. Lasting stability in the Middle East will hinge on truth-telling, strategic resolve, and a willingness to look beyond propagandistic narratives in pursuit of security and genuine progress for all peoples in the region.
In sum, Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech underscores how Gaza’s fate is inextricably linked to Iran’s regional ambitions. This revelation demands honest reporting and principled international action to counter the real sources of violence and ensure that the Iranian regime is held accountable for its central role in perpetuating conflict.
