Resistance rooted in Imam Khomeini's anti-Zionist vision: Yemen PM

The prime minister of Yemen says the advent and rise of the Axis of Resistance in the West Asia region is rooted in the anti-Zionist vision and ideas of the Founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini (God bless his soul).

Abdulaziz bin Saleh Habtoor made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Press TV's Face to Face program.

"Imam Khomeini came to refute the Zionist project that had been established 75 years ago," the Yemeni premier said, adding, "Today, the resistance is based on the vision of this eminent scholar and leader of the Iranian revolution."

Habtoor stressed that the strength with which the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip stands up to the Israeli aggression today emanates from Imam Khomeini's ideology.

"You can see that the resistance in Palestine has continued for four months and has not been supported by any Arab countries or Arab armies, except the Islamic Republic of Iran, our brothers in Syria, and the rest of the [regional] Axis of Resistance," he said.

"So, these are the fruits of the seeds of Imam Khomeini's ideas, and had it not been for his ideas, the Palestinian resistance wouldn't have been able to stand [against Israel] with such strength...."

The remarks came as Gaza's resistance movements continue to confront a genocidal Israeli war that began on October 7, 2023 after those movements staged Operation al-Aqsa Storm against the occupied territories.

Habtoor went on to recount some instances of Imam Khomeini's endeavors and struggle in the face of Western hegemony and Israeli colonialism.

"Imam Khomeini's first step was to close the American and Israeli embassies and open the Palestinian embassy," Habtoor said, adding, "This was a call to all the free people of the Islamic homeland that the situation has changed."

"From that day, the idea of Quds Day began, which was established by the Imam, and then the Quds Force [of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps] also came [into being]," the Yemeni premier said, referring to two momentous legacies of the late founder of the Islamic Republic.

"He (Imam Khomeini) was a man who had a political, cultural, and religious project and thought [that was meant] to end the hegemony of the West that controlled the Arab and Islamic world."

MG