During his sermon, Khamenei praised Nasrallah and expressed support for Hamas and Hezbollah, which he said provided “crucial services to the entire region and the entire Islamic world.”

He said armed groups linked to Iran “will not back down” in their conflict with Israel, which entered a new phase after Hamas launched deadly attacks on Israel nearly a year ago.

Iran is the main supporter of Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as other armed groups in the Middle East that have attacked Israel. They often call themselves the “Axis of the Resistance”.

In recent weeks, several senior leaders of Iranian-backed groups and Iran’s powerful military wing, the Revolutionary Guards, have been killed in Israeli attacks or suspected Israeli assassinations.

The Supreme Leader’s appearance before a crowd of tens of thousands of people in Tehran is a sign of the gravity of the moment for the Iranian regime, which is facing widespread domestic discontent.

It could be read as an attempt to show strength and restore Iran’s credibility as leader of the “Axis of Resistance.”

The public appearance was also intended to show that Khamenei is not in hiding, after reports emerged that he was taken to a safe location after Nasrallah’s assassination.