If Ceasefire Is Violated, Tel Aviv Will Become a Ghost Town
WANA (Aug 01) – Hojjat al-Islam Seyyed Ahmad Khatami, the interim Friday prayer leader of Tehran, warned in his Friday sermon that if the Israeli regime violates the ceasefire, Tel Aviv will be turned into a ghost town.
He began by emphasizing faith and divine support, saying: “Those who believe in God will never be abandoned by Him; He helps them. Today’s piety means supporting the Islamic system, not being influenced by rumors, preserving the country’s dignity, and obeying the seven-point directive of the Supreme Leader.”
Khatami added: “Religious commitment has always come with a cost throughout history — even the Prophet of Islam and other divine messengers were martyred for it. The enemy is trying to exhaust the patience of our people, but the Qur’an says: ‘Be patient, and God will pour the sweet taste of victory into your mouths.’ During the 12-day war, the people stood united against the enemy and sent a message of unity and cohesion to the world. You showed that if Iran is the target, we will stand with our whole soul for Iran.”
He continued: “Divine support doesn’t always mean a direct victory over the enemy; sometimes it means instilling fear and terror in their hearts. We must believe in God and stand with Him, and surely, God will be with us. The enemy is not frightening. We are here and will remain — and we will render the enemy helpless.”
“We defeated the Zionist regime in the 12-day war”
Khatami said: “I want to mention 11 reasons why we won the 12-day war. Yes, we defeated the Zionist regime in this war. Of course, war has a cost. We lost great commanders like Bagheri, Rashid, Salami, and Hajizadeh, and great scientists like Tehranchi and Abbasi, and many citizens. But the damage inflicted on the enemy must also be considered.”
He described the Israeli regime as desperate and facing an existential crisis: “The enemy seeks annihilation. They now see themselves caught between life and death. But we, like the cypress tree, stand tall. We are here, we will remain, and we will ruin you. Israel was humiliated across the world, while Iran grew more respected and gained power.”
Khatami stated: “For the first time since World War II, a country dared to boldly target America’s Al Udeid base and show off its power. The world realized that Israel is a cancerous tumor, and therefore, the world must act swiftly to surgically remove this tumor.”
He added, “The world saw what this bloodthirsty enemy did to Syria. Know that the same disaster awaits you. Iran, though not the initiator of the war, defended itself valiantly.”
“If war is launched against us again, we will render them helpless”
Hojjat al-Islam Khatami emphasized: “We were not the initiators of war and will never be, but if war is launched against us again, we will render them helpless and turn Tel Aviv into a ghost town. The disgrace of Western liberal democracy was exposed during the 12-day war, with the killing of women, children, and even those standing in line for food and water in Gaza.”
Regarding U.S. support for Israel during the war, he said: “The world—even the United States itself—knows why ‘Death to America’ never leaves the mouths of the people: because American leaders continue to support the murderous Zionist criminals.”
“We entered talks just to prove our willingness”
Khatami continued: “If the U.S. seeks negotiation, we are engaged in indirect talks. If we hadn’t entered talks, some naïve individuals inside the country would have said we’re not open to negotiation. Now, the case is closed.”
He noted that the West had miscalculated: “The West thought the 12-day war would create social chaos in Iran, but in fact, the Iranian nation became more united, and cries of unity rose from the country.”
He added: “The U.S., Britain, and the European Union all stood beside the Zionist regime, but the popularity of the Supreme Leader grew manifold. The slogan ‘The blood in our veins is a gift to our Leader’ is one I hear frequently these days. Public trust in the government and armed forces has increased.”
“Tel Aviv and Haifa have become ghost towns”
The Friday prayer leader declared: “Due to the powerful defense of our armed forces, Tel Aviv and Haifa have been turned into ghost towns. Our brave soldiers will exhaust exhaustion itself.”
He continued: “Because of the valiant defense by Iranian armed forces, many people [in Israel] chose to flee rather than stay. But the brave people of Iran — even when under missile attacks — went to their rooftops to see what was happening. And now, if Iran is attacked again, the enemy will be crushed.”
“Humanity needs a new United Nations”
Referring to the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he said: “Although World War II had ended, America attacked two Japanese cities, killing 160,000 people in multiple stages.”
He concluded: “‘Gaza’ is the elegy of international organizations and leaders of Islamic countries. Humanity must begin to consider creating a new United Nations — one that truly defends the people.”
The scale of destruction caused by just one missile hitting Tel Aviv/WANA News Agency
