Khamenei urges Muslim unity against US, Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called on Muslim nations to unite against the United States and Israel in a written statement released on Sunday, August 30, 2026. The message, issued to mark Islamic Unity Week and the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, comes six months into the ongoing Middle East war and urges regional rulers to recognize their "real enemy." In the statement, Khamenei accused the U.S. and Israel of actively working to create divisions within the Muslim world. He stated that these adversaries exploit racial, cultural, social, economic, political, and geographical differences to foster discord and weaken Muslim societies. "The criminal rulers of America and the fake Zionist regime are sworn enemies of this unity and friendship," the statement said, according to reports from Iranian state media. He argued that this fragmentation leaves the Palestinian people vulnerable and allows foreign powers to covet the lands and assets of Gulf nations. Khamenei directly addressed the rulers of Islamic countries, urging them to "recognize your real enemy, understand its plan, and confront it.