Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Letter to American University Students in Defense Of Gaza (A Historical Study)

Abstract

Political messages from religious figures have a significant impact on public opinion and are tools used to influence both the foreign and domestic arenas. In this context, the message from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, addressed to American university students defending Gaza at a pivotal moment in the Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people. This message reflects a humanitarian, Islamic, and Iranian stance in support of the Palestinian resistance and all those who stand by it, and a critique of Western policies, primarily American policy. This message highlights the intersection of the humanitarian, political, and religious dimensions, as it commended the rare American student stances expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, criticized American bias toward the usurping Zionist entity, and denounced the barbaric Zionist aggression against Gaza. This gave the message a significant character, as it was directed not at Western political or media elites, but rather at a young generation redefining the concepts of justice and resistance within their society.