Following a large-scale Iranian missile strike on Israeli-occupied territories—a reprisal for the recent assassination resistance figures—Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, directly blamed the United States and certain European powers for the ongoing instability in West Asia.

Addressing a gathering of Iranian elites, scientific leaders, and top university entrance exam candidates in Tehran on Wednesday, Ayatollah Khamenei stated unequivocally that the presence of these Western nations is the fundamental source of the region’s conflicts, wars, and anxieties.

He emphasized the hypocrisy of these powers, who publicly advocate for peace while, in his view, actively contributing to the region’s turmoil.

Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that the removal of US and European forces from the region would immediately and significantly reduce, if not entirely eliminate, the ongoing conflicts and hostilities.

He envisioned a future where regional countries could govern themselves autonomously, fostering peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity without the perceived interference and destabilizing influence of Western powers.

The timing of his remarks, immediately following the IRGC’s missile barrage, underscores the heightened tensions and the Iranian leadership’s direct attribution of responsibility for regional instability to the West.