Khamenei in Iran says Egypt protest spells “defeat” for US

Arab uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere were an Islamic awakening that would spell an "irreparable defeat" for the United States, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday.

"This is what was always talked about as the occurrence of Islamic awakening at the time of the Islamic revolution of the great Iranian nation and is showing itself today," Khamenei, the commander-in-chief and spiritual guide of Iran, told worshippers at Friday prayers in Tehran, in his first public comments on the popular protests in the region.

"If they [protesters] are able to push this through then what will happen to the U.S. policies in the region will be an irreparable defeat for America."

The sermon, at Tehran university — the first time in seven months that Khamenei has addressed the weekly Friday prayers — came as protesters were massing in Egypt for sweeping "departure day" demonstrations to force President Hosni Mubarak to quit.

Calling himself a "brother in religion" to the Arab people, Khamenei called on the Egyptian army to back the protesters and "focus its eyes on the Zionist enemy," a reference to Israel, which fears a change of regime in Egypt could jeopardize its peace treaty with its Western neighbor.

Khamenei's remarks were received by cheering crowds of worshippers who, raising their hands, chanted "Death to America! Death to Israel!"

Top Iranian officials have backed the revolt in Egypt and have warned Washington against "interfering" in the what they say is a movement of the people.

Khamenei said Iran's Islamic revolution of 1979, which deposed the U.S.-backed shah, had served as an example to the people living under similar "dictatorships."

The 71-year-old, who condemned huge street protests in Iran after the disputed re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in June 2009, welcomed the "revolution and awakening" and "explosion of sacred anger" in the Middle East.