An Islamic cleric in Iran is claiming that letters penned by Iran’s Supreme Leader are the driving force behind pro-Palestinian student protests in American universities.
Ahmad Alamolhoda, is a close associate of Khamenei’s and father-in-law to the country’s current President Ebrahim Raisi.
The cleric claims that the protests on American university campuses today are a result of Khamenei’s letters to Western youth in 2014 and 2015.
Alamolhoda, who is known for his violent rhetoric, once said that the British Ambassador to Iran should be “chopped into pieces”.
The protests on US campuses have garnered significant attention inside Iran and are often portrayed by the regime’s media outlets as a form of validation of their anti-Western stance.
The Iranian regime’s focus on these events contrasts sharply with its treatment of domestic dissent, where student activists face harsh penalties for similar activities.
The discrepancy has not gone unnoticed by the Iranian public, who have criticized the regime’s apparent hypocrisy.
Khamenei himself has seized on the protests as a victory for the pro-Hamas sentiment among Western students, interpreting their actions as a global sensitivity to the Palestinian cause.
“Despite the extensive efforts of Zionists and their American and European supporters, the issue of Gaza remains the top global concern,” Khamenei stated earlier this month.
Throughout his 35-year rule, Khamenei has consistently positioned himself against Israel, the US, and Western influence more broadly, supporting groups like Hamas.
His stance has significantly isolated Iran from the global economy, exacerbating its economic challenges, including a shrinking GDP and high inflation.
Khamenei’s focus on leveraging anti-Israeli and anti-Western sentiments globally is part of a broader strategy to assert the righteousness of his political views, amidst the significant domestic and international challenges facing his regime.
