This is the first time a Supreme Ayatollah has ever declared U.S. students as agents of Iran and, openly and proudly, as terrorists.  “Iran Supreme Leader’s Direct Message to US College Students Sparks Fury,” Newsweek, 5-30-24.  “Iran’s Supreme Leader released a message of support for American college students who have participated in pro-Palestine protests.  “Dear university students in the United States of America, you are standing on the right side of history,” Ali Khamenei wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. His comments sparked fury on social media, with several people suggesting that having support from the authoritarian leader was not a good thing. House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X: “When you’ve won the Ayatollah, you’ve lost America.” A popular right-wing X account, End Wokeness, wrote: “Imagine telling someone 10 years ago that the Iranian Supreme Leader would be thanking a bunch of blue-haired atheists at Columbia.” Several other X accounts, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Orthodox rabbi and adjunct professor David Bashevkin, suggested that having Khamenei’s support might suggest the protesters are actually on the wrong side of history. Iran’s Supreme Leader also shared a piece of advice with American students, writing on X: “Dear university students in the US, my advice to you is to become familiar with the Quran.” Khamenei also released a longer open letter, in which he wrote that he wanted to express “empathy and solidarity” with student protesters. “You have now formed a branch of the Resistance Front and have begun an honorable struggle in the face of your government’s ruthless pressure—a government which openly supports the usurper and brutal Zionist regime,” he wrote. Khamenei also invoked antisemitic tropes about Jewish people controlling the media. “The global Zionist elite—who owns most US and European media corporations or influences them through funding and bribery—has labeled this courageous, humane resistance movement as “terrorism,” ” Khamenei wrote.

This is actually a 35+ year problem in Europe.  “Iran Behind Attacks on Israeli Embassies in NATO Countries: Mossad,” Newsweek, 5-30-24.

That the hall was almost empty should be a sign to the UN that its member states believe the UN made a mistake honoring the memory of the Butcher of Tehran.  “UN General Assembly Hall Empty During Raisi Memorial,” Iran International, 5-30-24.  And see 5-30-24 AFP, “Tribute to late Iranian president at UN stirs anger.”

“Mossad says Iran behind attacks on Israeli targets in Sweden, Belgium,” Al Monitor, 5-30-24.  “Foxtrot’s rival gang RUMBA was also allegedly recruited by Iran.  …  Fears ahead of Olympic Games in Paris.”  … Mossad Director David Barnea has been warning of Iranian attempts to target Israelis and Jews in Europe. In September, Barnea revealed that in 2023, his agency and other Israeli agencies and international partners had foiled 27 Iranian plots against Israelis around the world, on almost every continent, including in Tanzania, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece and Germany.”