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Khamenei calls for sacred unity as Iran-US clashes grow — Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei

Editorial Team

Tehran faces hardliner backlash over suspended US deal and Parliament pressure

A message attributed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has urged Iranians to maintain “sacred unity” and avoid political division as fighting between Iran and the United States entered its eighth night. The statement warned Washington it would face “unforgettable lessons” while insisting that Iran’s enemies “must not detect any sign of weakness” from the country.

The appeal for cohesion comes as Iran faces intensifying external pressure and visible internal tensions over a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United States. Hardline supporters of the Islamic Republic have accused officials tied to the agreement of betrayal, adding domestic strain to a rapidly escalating regional confrontation that has also centred on the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Key Political and Military Signals

Khamenei’s statement called on the public and officials to refrain from “division, political disputes, and increases in social differences,” framing unity as a duty during conflict.
Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s wartime joint command, said the armed forces would follow the directive for “sacred unity and national cohesion,” and warned the US of a “decisive and destructive response” over recent attacks that he said damaged bridges, roads and other civilian infrastructure.
President Masoud Pezeshkian publicly welcomed the message, highlighting its call for “trust” in the heads of the executive, legislature and judiciary.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said obedience to the supreme leader’s decree was central to Iran’s “national resistance” and governance.

Background to the Domestic Backlash

Khamenei has not been seen or heard from publicly since becoming supreme leader in March, and his latest message arrived after weeks of controversy surrounding the MoU with Washington. In June, another statement attributed to him said he had “held a different view” about an agreement that paused four months of fighting, but approved it after Pezeshkian, as chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, accepted responsibility for the deal.

The approval energised hardline supporters who have continued to gather at night in city squares and streets, with backing from armed security forces, to protest the arrangement. Some critics argued Khamenei was being pushed into accepting a poor agreement, and hardline clerical lawmaker Mahmoud Nabavian read from classified material on live television in what was widely seen as an effort to derail the deal. He was removed from parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee earlier this month.

Tehran has since suspended the MoU, which had already been close to collapse after Iran and the US traded fire over control of the Strait of Hormuz during the past week.

Calls for “unity” are a recurring tool in Iranian politics when negotiations with Washington become politically costly. Analysts note that the Islamic Republic typically tries to keep strategic files such as US ties, sanctions, and security talks under the supreme leader and security institutions, and unity language is used to discipline elite infighting, present a single line abroad, and limit public blame if outcomes worsen economic or security pressures.

Official Messaging and Public Narratives

Iranian officials’ statements following Khamenei’s Saturday directive also came as senior US officials, briefing media anonymously in Washington, sought to attribute the Hormuz escalation to an “errant” hardline faction inside Iran that they said was trying to obstruct negotiations.

Iran’s state-linked Khorasan newspaper published an editorial on Sunday interpreting Khamenei’s message as drawing a line between permissible dissent and destabilising attacks, arguing that “criticism is accepted, but never accusations” against officials. The editorial addressed hardline activists directly, calling the message an ultimatum and urging them to stop spreading false claims about authorities.

In an interview released Sunday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated support for a negotiated end to the war. He said earlier diplomacy could have prevented major losses, adding: “If we had reached the [April] ceasefire 10 days earlier, we still had Larijani, Khatib, Asaluyeh and Foolad Mobarakeh,” referring to assassinated security chief Ali Larijani, intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, and heavily bombed petrochemical facilities and steel plants.

IRGC supreme leader representative Abdollah Haji Sadeghi publicly warned against factional disputes that undermine “sacred unity” and defended Iran’s negotiators amid growing attacks on the government’s approach. In a separate statement reported on July 18, Khamenei accused the US of breaching understandings and described Donald Trump’s signature as “worthless,” reinforcing a narrative that external bad faith, not internal compromise, drove the deterioration.

Current Situation and What to Watch

Despite Iran’s suspension of the MoU and renewed official calls for unity, tit-for-tat strikes between Iran and the United States have continued, and there has been no sign that the sides are returning to negotiations. Further developments are expected to hinge on whether the Hormuz confrontation can be contained and whether Iran’s leadership can curb internal infighting while sustaining a unified posture during the conflict.