Iran’s supreme leader rejects Trump’s Gaza plan as "stupid" and "doomed to fail"

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has strongly dismissed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for Gaza, calling it “stupid” and destined for failure. His remarks were made during a meeting with Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in Tehran on February 18.

“This plan will go nowhere, and those who claimed they would destroy the resistance in a short time are now receiving their captives in small groups from resistance fighters,” Khamenei stated. His comments were published on his official website under the headline: America’s stupid plan for Gaza will go nowhere, Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media.

Trump, who has declared his intention to run in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, recently proposed deploying American troops to Gaza, aiming to transform the war-torn region into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” His plan also included relocating at least 1.5 million Palestinians to neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Jordan.

Iran, a key supporter of armed Palestinian factions, has been a major player in the 15-month-long conflict between Hamas and Israel. Earlier this month, Hamas’s acting leader met with Iranian officials in Tehran and vowed to resist Trump’s proposal for U.S. control and reconstruction of Gaza.

Meanwhile, as Washington ramps up its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, Trump has expressed interest in negotiating a new nuclear deal. However, Khamenei ruled out any talks with the United States, stating, “Negotiating with such a government should not be done; it is neither wise, intelligent, nor honorable.”

Since the reimposition of U.S. sanctions in 2018, Iran’s economy has faced severe challenges, exacerbated by domestic mismanagement and corruption. The Iranian rial has suffered significant depreciation, and inflation has remained at around 40% for five consecutive years, further straining the country's economic stability.

By Vugar Khalilov