Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has praised Syrian resistance and said that "the United States would leave the region in humiliation."

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Speaking on Wednesday (January 1) during a ceremony marking the fifth anniversary of Qasem Soleimani’s death, the former commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, Khamenei said that “if a nation removes its pillars of stability and strength from the field, it risks becoming like Syria—vulnerable to occupation by the United States, Israel, and some regional states.”

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He further added, “But Syria belongs to the Syrians, and those who have violated its sovereignty will undoubtedly be forced to withdraw in the face of Syrian youth resistance.”

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Khamenei rejected claims that sacrifices made in defence of holy sites were in vain. “Some people, due to a lack of proper analysis and understanding, claim that with the recent events in the region, the blood shed in defence of the shrine was wasted. They are making this grave mistake; the blood was not wasted," he said.

In his address, Khamenei called Hezbollah and the Houthis, examples of resilience and defiance. He said that they will eventually succeed.

'US bases will be trampled under the feet of Syrian youth': Khamenei

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Separately, in a post shared on X, Khamenei wrote, “Young believers who are willing to sacrifice their lives are the most important factor for a nation's strength. These people shouldn’t be removed from the scene. When they are removed, it becomes like Syria. It leads to the occupation of territory by foreigners.”

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He also criticised the United States’ activities in Syria, saying, “Today, the US is continuously building bases in Syria. These bases will undoubtedly be trampled under the feet of the Syrian youth.”

Khamenei added, “The US and the Zionist regime, who have invaded the land of the Syrian people, will one day be forced to retreat in the face of the power of the devout Syrian youth. This will happen without a doubt.”

(With inputs from agencies)