Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a recent speech attacked the vicious US and described its allies Britain, Germany and France as 'America's lackeys'.
Khamenei was addressing a crown during his first Friday sermon in eight years, where he also stood-by the IRGC troops that shot down the Ukrainian aircraft on account of human error.
“Our enemies ... were happy that they found an excuse to undermine the Guards, the armed forces and our system,” Khamenei said. Iranians have been angry after the Ukrainian aircraft was shot down and protests led by students erupted in Tehran and other cities for four days demanding answers over the plane crash.
President Donald Trump sent tweets in Farsi and English supporting the protesters, who were chanting "Death to Khamenei" and slogans against the Guards. Khamenei said in his sermon: "These American clowns who lie and say they are with the Iranian people should see who the Iranian people are."
Trump responded on Twitter: "The so-called 'Supreme Leader' of Iran, who has not been so Supreme lately, had some nasty things to say about the United States and Europe. Their economy is crashing, and their people are suffering. He should be very careful with his words!"
Khamenei in the sermon said that the aircraft incident was a "bitter tragedy that burned through our heart," but stopped short of offering a direct apology.
According to Trump, Khamenei's blistering speech, in which he attacked the "vicious" United States and described Britain, France and Germany as "America's lackey's," was a mistake.
In his sermon, Khamenei urged people of Iran to unite and show solidarity by turning out in great numbers in the upcoming parliamentary elections in February. At the funeral of slain leader General Qasem Soleimani— an incident that further escalated tension between US and Iran — brought huge numbers of Iranian mourners to the streets.
Some Iranians reacted angrily on social media to Khamenei's sermon and his comments on the plane disaster.
