Mashhad Friday Sermon By Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda Following Assassination Of Hamas Leader Haniyeh In Tehran: We Should Direct Our Blood Vengeance Against The U.S. Too, Not Only Israel

In his August 2, 2024 Friday sermon at Mashhad, Iran, following the July 31 assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda said that Iran’s blood vengeance should be directed not only at Israel, but at the United States too. He said that Iran has shown that it has the Al-Asad American airbase in Iraq in its crosshairs. Alamolhoda added that the U.S. navy fifth fleet in Bahrain, as well as American ships in the Persian Gulf can also be targeted. The sermon was aired on Khorasan Razavi TV (Iran).

Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda: "The blood vengeance, which has been ordered by the Supreme Leader, should be directed only against Israel. We have to apply this blood vengeance against the United States as well. The United States shares [the responsibility] for this blood with Israel. Had there been no American green light, Israel would not have committed this crime.

"Fortunately, we have such domination today over American interests and centers, that if we want, we can carry out strikes against the U.S. in less than half a day, and these strikes would compensate not only for one terrorist attack, but for hundreds of American crimes.

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"The largest American military base is the Al-Asad Airbase in Al-Anbar, in Iraq.

"We showed, with just eight missiles, following the martyrdom of Hajj Qassem Soleimani, that this base is in our crosshairs. The experts say that had we launched forty missiles, instead of eight, nothing would have remained of the Al-Assad Airbase, and no American would have survived there. This [base] is in our crosshairs.

"The U.S. Navy's 5th fleet base, off the coast of Bahrain, is close to Iran's islands.

"If we decide to hit it, nothing will remain from the U.S. navy capabilities in the region. In addition, the American shops that carry fuel and commodities travel back and forth in the Persian Gulf.

"If we decide to close the passage to the Persian Gulf, all the American shops in the middle of the Persian Gulf will immediately turn into dust and ashes, by our power. Well, these are our capabilities today. If we want to take revenge, it [must] not be only against Israel. We have to take revenge on America too.