Arming and funding Hezbollah, the Houthis and other armed allies across the region
Under Khamenei, Iran built a network of armed allies it calls the Axis of Resistance. Hezbollah's leader said its entire budget and weapons came from Iran, and the US estimated Iranian support at nearly $1bn a year. Khamenei openly backed the Houthis, praised the planners of the 7 October 2023 attack while denying Iranian involvement, and vowed allies would not back down.
Editorial timeline of public reporting, not a legal finding.
- Nasrallah says Hezbollah's budget, weapons and rockets come from Iran - CNSNews and The Times of Israel, citing AFP, reported that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said 'Hezbollah's budget, its income, its expenses, everything it eats and drinks, its weapons and rockets, are from the Islamic Republic of Iran', adding: 'As long as Iran has money, we will have money.' Terrorist Chief: 'As Long as Iran Has Money, We Will Have Money'
- US estimates about $700m a year for Hezbollah - RFE/RL reported that US counterterrorism coordinator Nathan Sales said Iran spends about $700 million a year on Hezbollah and nearly $1 billion a year in total supporting Hezbollah, Hamas and other allied militant groups. U.S. Claims Iran Is Spending $1 Billion A Year Backing Hizballah, Other Allies
- Meeting the Houthi spokesman and declaring support - France 24 and Reuters reported that after hosting Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam, Khamenei said: 'I declare my support for the mujahidah (struggle) of Yemen.' Saudi Arabia and the UAE have repeatedly accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with weapons including ballistic missiles, which Tehran denies. Iran's Khamenei backs Yemen's Houthi movement, calls for dialogue
- 'We kiss the hands' of the 7 October planners, while denying involvement - Reuters and Al Arabiya reported that Khamenei said Iran was not behind the Hamas attack on Israel, but added 'we kiss the hands of those who planned the attack' and called Israel's military and intelligence defeat 'irreparable'. Iran's Khamenei says Tehran was not behind Hamas attack on Israel
- Friday sermon: the resistance will not back down even if its leaders are killed - Al Jazeera and The Guardian reported that in a rare Friday sermon Khamenei called Iran's missile attack on Israel 'legal and legitimate' and, after the killing of Hassan Nasrallah, said 'the resistance in the region will not back down even with the killing of its leaders'. Iran's Ali Khamenei vows Hezbollah and Hamas will not back down