Reactions to Khamenei's Support for Protests at American Universities; Israel Katz: The Islamic Republic is the 'Head of the Snake'

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Iranian government, has expressed support for ongoing protests at some universities in the United States aimed at showing solidarity with Palestinians, which has elicited reactions from several global politicians. Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, shared an image of Khamenei's post on platform X, addressing the protesters: "When you have garnered the Ayatollah's support, you have lost America." Israel Katz, the Israeli Foreign Minister, referred to Khamenei's message that the protesters are on the "right side of history" and are part of the "resistance axis," stating: "[The Islamic Republic] Iran is promoting protests and terrorism in the United States and Europe." According to the senior Israeli diplomat, "[The government] Iran is the head of the snake. The free world must stop it before it is too late." Melissa Lantsman, a Canadian parliament member, reacted to Khamenei's message directed at protesters at Western universities, including Canada, saying: "How can you know you are on the wrong side of history? The leader [of the government] of Iran and the most active state sponsor of terrorism in the world, Ali Khamenei and Al-Qaeda, support the protests at universities with a statement." This Canadian politician added: "You are foot soldiers in his psychological death cult. Wake up, Canada." Edite Rosenzweig, the Israeli ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, reacted to Khamenei's message by saying that "the mass murderer and oppressor of his people, the founder of terrorism, and the kidnapper of Europeans and Americans" appreciates students as the arm of "resistance." She ironically congratulated the protesters as the "dear children of the murderer Mahsa Amini." Ali Khamenei, in an open letter to the protesters at American universities against Israel's war on Hamas, claimed they are standing on the "right side of history." Ignoring decades of repression of freedom-seeking students and youth in Iran, he concluded his letter, which contains numerous false and baseless claims about the current war in Gaza, the formation of the state of Israel, and the decades-long conflict between Israel and Arabs, by advising the protesters to "become familiar with the Quran." Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 last year, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of over 250 others, Israel launched an offensive against Gaza aimed at destroying this group supported by the Islamic Republic and recovering the hostages. During negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt last fall, over 100 kidnapped hostages were released, but more than 120 Israeli hostages remain captive by Hamas in Gaza, and Israel believes at least 100 of them are still alive. Since the October 7 terrorist attack, Hamas officials have repeatedly emphasized that they will carry out similar attacks if possible. Hamas, without mentioning the number of its members killed as a result of Israel's offensive in Gaza, claims that over 36,000 Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. The Persian section of Voice of America cannot independently verify or confirm the statistics provided. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. The Israeli army has lifted the ban on food sales to Gaza. Mossad: The criminal network supported by the Islamic Republic was responsible for the attacks on Israeli embassies in Europe. A news agency close to the IRGC reported that the Islamic Republic has provided "anti-ship ballistic missiles" to the Houthis. Israeli forces have taken control of the buffer zone in the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt.