For uncensored outbursts, the Twitter feed of Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei rivals that of Donald Trump or Katie Hopkins. On Wednesday, the supreme leader’s official account posted a series of missives, including one that said Israel would not survive 25 years.
The tweets followed a speech given at a mosque in Tehran on Wednesday in which Khamenei reiterated America's standing as the “Great Satan,” and that negotiations with Washington would not extend beyond the current nuclear deal.
In quotes that appeared on his official website, Khamenei said: “Some Zionists have said that regarding the result of the nuclear deal they (Israelis) have been relieved of concerns about Iran for 25 years. But we tell them that you will not see the coming 25 years and God willing there will not be something named the Zionist regime in the region.”
Wednesday’s outburst is part of a long-standing rhetorical barrage against Israel, with Iran’s Mullahs oft-alluding to an end to the Jewish state. However, Khamenei’s latest rant comes at a delicate time for President Barack Obama, who is trying to pass the Iran nuclear deal through Congress in the face of strident Republican opposition, as well as pushback from some pro-Israel lobby groups.
On the issue of a more permanent rapprochement with Washington, the supreme leader said: “We approved talks with the United States about the nuclear issue specifically. We have not allowed talks with the US in other fields and we will not negotiate with them.”
He added: “The Iranian nation ousted the Satan. We should not let it back through the window,' he said, referring to the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled the US-backed shah.”