Iran’s top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 9 August lashed out at the United States, saying that America is not a good mediator in Mideast peace talks because it always sides with Israel.The comments came ahead of the second round of US-brokered Israeli-Palestinian peace talks next week. The talks resumed after a five-year freeze. Khamenei argued that the results of any US-hosted talks will eventually damage the Palestinian side and force the Palestinians to “abandon their rights and encourage the occupier.” “The US is not a real mediator, it stands by the Zionists,” said Khamenei. “Definitely …. it is against the interests of the Palestinians.”
Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, spoke during Eid al-Fitr. The Israelis “destroy houses and construct buildings while claiming they want negotiations,” said Khamenei. Iran does not recognise Israel and has considered the Jewish state its archenemy since the 1979 revolution that toppled the Western-backed monarchy.