TEHRAN - On International Quds Day, which falls on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan, millions of Muslims across the world held rallies in condemnation of Israel for occupation of the Palestinian lands.

The rallies in Quds Day in Iran were the focus of international media outlets as millions of Iranians defied hot weather to express their strong indignation of the unending Israeli violation of Palestinian rights.

In addition to Tehran, the ceremonies to mark the Quds Day were held in another 770 cities across Iran. Quds Day marchers made slogans against modern barbarism and child killing from “Gaza to Yemen”.

Many dignitaries including President Hassan Rouhani, Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani, grand ayatollahs as well as top military officials attended the marches.

The demonstrators, with different political tastes, shouted slogans against the Zionist regime of Israel. They also made slogans against the Saudi air attacks on the Yemeni people which have put millions of people in danger of starvation.

The demonstrators were carrying placards which said: “Free Palestine, Free Yemen”. Some Youths were also carrying placards stating: “I Love Fighting the Zionists”. Others also carried banners saying: “We Follow Our Leader”.

Concurrent with Quds Day rallies intense negotiations were underway between Iranian nuclear negotiators and those from the six major powers (the United States, France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia) in Vienna. Some marchers held a banner with a photo of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif telling EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini: “Do not threat an Iranian”, after Mogherini threatened to leave the negotiating table.

-----Palestinians are most oppressed in the world- -----

Rafsanjani called Palestinians the most oppressed people on the earth who are suffering at the hands of Israelis.

“Today no nation is more oppressed than Palestinians in the world.”

------Quds Day promises ‘bright’ future---------

President Rouhani said the Quds Day promises a very “bright” future for the Palestinians.

The Muslims, specifically the Palestinians, will definitely achieve their goals through unity, integrity, resistance and jihad, the president noted.

------Quds Day bears message of unity-------

Head of the Department of Environment Masoumeh Ebtekar said that Quds Day bears “message of unity” among Muslims in backing the Palestinians to liberate their land.

She added that establishing peace and reconciliation and countering against the oppressions of the Zionist regime are other messages of Quds Day.

She highlighted the necessity of supporting the “oppressed” Palestinian people in their struggle to restore their rights.

-----------Armed struggle the only way to liberate Palestine--------

General Yahya Rahim Safavi, the former chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, said all peace initiatives to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have ended in failure and therefore “armed struggle”, “resistance” and “unity among Muslims” are the only strategies to liberate the Palestinian lands.

Safavi who currently serves as the chief military advisor to the Supreme Leader said, “When we look at human tragedy in the occupied Palestine and the displacement of five million people this question comes to mind that how this disaster can come to an end and whether they can gain access to their land.”

The Islamic Propagation Coordination Council issued a statement on Quds Day stating to use all capacities to support Palestine and the Islamic resistance movement.

It also said the Iranian nation considers Israel as a “tumor” and sees its annihilation as the top priority of the Islamic world.

The statement also condemned the Saudi attacks on Yemen and said terrorist acts in Iraq, Syria, and Libya are proxy wars serving the interests of the U.S., Israel, and regional reactionary regimes.

Also, it said Quds Day is an opportunity to showcase unity in Iran and reiterate the Iranian nation’s unanimous stance against global arrogance.

--------Rallies held in other countries-------

An estimated 20,000 protesters took to the streets of Cape Town in South Africa at Quds Day march to show their support for the people of Palestine, according to the World Bulletin.

Moreover, massive demonstrations were held in Iraq's Baghdad and Lebanon.

Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization (Mapim), in turn, said 50,000 Muslims attended the peaceful rally to commemorate Quds Day in Kuala Lumpur.

Thousands of people also flooded the streets of the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, to denounce the Israeli regime’s crimes against Palestinians.

The demonstration comes as Yemenis are reeling from an ongoing military aggression by Saudi Arabia, which has inflicted huge losses on the impoverished country.

SP/PA