Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the US of exploiting instability in Syria to assert its influence, contending that similar strategies would be ineffective in Iran.

Addressing a group of eulogists in Tehran, Khamenei said that the US had two ways to dominate other countries: either by setting up an autocratic government that would follow its interests or, in case the first scenario failed, by creating chaos and riots.

“The latter was what the US did in Syria,” he added, as reported by the state-run IRNA news agency on December 22.

He stressed that “the Iranian nation will trample anyone who will accept becoming a mercenary of America.”

The Iranian leader dismissed “claims of victory from Zionist elements,” saying that the US, Israel, and their allies had the “feeling of victory” after what happened in Syria and were now “bragging.”

Khamenei stated that Israel “failed to achieve the goals” it set at the beginning of the Gaza war, which included destroying Hamas and rescuing hostages.