Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei slams US peace plan as ‘great betrayal of Islamic world’

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday slammed a US curated Middle East peace plan as a "great betrayal of the Islamic world", warning Gulf nations to avoid backing it.

Washington is gearing up to roll out economic aspects of a plan for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians - dubbed the "deal of the century" - at a conference in Bahrain later this month.

"The aim of this conference is to realise America's traitorous, dastardly plan on Palestine which they have named the 'Deal of the Century'," Khameini said in a live television address at prayers for the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Read more: The Kushner Bahrain ordeal -Why are the Palestinians boycotting?

"The 'Deal of the Century' will, God willing, never take root... this is a great betrayal of the Islamic world. We hope the leaders of Bahrain and Saudi [Arabia] will realise into what a quagmire they are stepping and how harmful it will be for their future."

Palestinians have almost unanimously rejected the plan, which is being led by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, because it is expected to legitimatise a previous US decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem and to allow Israel to annex settlements in the West Bank, preventing the creation of a viable Palestinian state.

In statements on Monday, US President Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner said that Palestinians were not ready to govern themselves.

US allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are set to attend the Bahrain conference on June 25-26, but the Palestinians are boycotting it and have encouraged other Arab states to stay away.

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