Iran’s Khamenei congratulates Gaza on ‘victory’

Tehran: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has congratulated Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after a cease-fire with Israel took effect in the territory, calling the truce a victory over the criminal Zionist regime.

Iran’s state TV website carried a letter by Khamenei addressed to the Palestinians on Friday, in which he also urged for prosecution of Israel’s archenemy Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in international courts over the Gaza campaign.

Iran has been a close ally of Hamas and other militant groups in the Middle East.

In his letter, Khamenei also urged all Muslim countries to rally in support of Palestinian people, whether by strengthening Palestinian forces, with financial support that is needed today more than before, or by rebuilding the infrastructure that was destroyed in Gaza.

Separately, Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard in a statement on its website, sepahnews.com, echoed Khamenei’s congratulations to Gazans on their victory.”

And the spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh, tweeted a message to Palestinians: Your resistance forced the aggressor to retreat.