Israel-Hamas War: Iranian Activists Blast Khamenei’s “Reckless” Policies

Eighty Iranian political and civil activists have called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and warned Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against dragging Iran into the abyss of war.

"First and foremost, as concerned Iranian citizens, we feel a compelling duty to issue a stern warning to the leadership of our country," the activists wrote in a joint letter obtained by IranWire.

"They must recognize that they lack the authority to lead our nation into war with their reckless, unwise and unpatriotic policies, potentially transforming the peaceful people of Iran into war-weary victims," they said.

The warning comes as Israeli ground forces pushed deeper into Gaza in their attempt to destroy Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

While openly admitting its backing for Hamas, Iran's clerical rulers insist the Islamic Republic was not involved in the group’s October 7 attack on Israel.

They have also warned Israel of an escalation if it failed to end its assault on Gaza, with authorities indicating Tehran-backed proxies across the Middle East were ready to act.

In their joint letter, the Iranian activists said that Khamenei “does not possess the authority to disregard the collective will of the Iranian people and to prioritize his own regional ambitions." 

"By directly involving our nation in these conflicts, he not only jeopardizes the safety and prosperity of the Iranian people, but also threatens to impose the scourge of war upon our land," they said, criticizing the supreme leader’s “destructive policies and anti-national stance.”

The Israeli military has been bombing Gaza since the Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,400 people and saw more than 230 people kidnapped as hostages.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 8,700 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing started, including 2,913 children.