With contacts aimed at promoting possible normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia in
the background, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
attacked Israel and warned against the normalization process. The Supreme Leader of Iran
once again referred to Israel as a “cancer” and declared that normalizing relations with it would
be a gamble on a losing horse. The Iranian president stated that the liberation of Jerusalem
was a top priority for the Muslim nation and that normalizing relations with Israel would be a
setback for any government in the Muslim world.