Iran's supreme leader urges Arab countries to reverse normalization with Israel

Ali Khamenei says UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco 'have made big errors and have sinned' by establishing formal ties with the 'oppressive Zionist regime'; adds they must 'make up for this big mistake'
AFP|
Arab nations that normalized ties with Israel last year have "sinned" and should reverse such moves, Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei said on Sunday.
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  • The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco all said in 2020 they would normalize ties with Israel, as Washington under the administration of then U.S. President Donald Trump made Arab-Israeli rapprochement a foreign policy priority.
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    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaking to a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday
    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaking to a cabinet meeting in Tehran on Wednesday
    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
    (Photo: EPA)
    "Some governments have unfortunately made errors - have made big errors and have sinned in normalizing (their relations) with the usurping and oppressive Zionist regime," Khamenei said, referring to Israel.
    "It is an act against Islamic unity, they must return from this path and make up for this big mistake," Khamenei added, in a speech marking a public holiday honoring the birth of the Prophet Mohammed.
    Iran has in the four decades since the 1979 Islamic revolution positioned itself as a strong defender of the Palestinian cause. Egypt and Jordan were until last year the only two Arab countries to normalize relations with Israel.
    "If the unity of Muslims is achieved, the Palestinian question would definitely be resolved in the best fashion," Khamenei said. In May, Khamenei characterized Israel as a "terrorist base" and "not a country".
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