TEHRAN – Iranians poured into the streets in large numbers in different cities across the country to mark International Quds Day, which falls on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

Officials and people showed their solidarity with Palestinians who have been under the Israeli occupation for seven decades.

The demonstrators issued a statement saying that “liberation of the noble Quds” and “freedom of the oppressed and defenseless Palestinian nation” are among the main ideals of the Islamic Revolution.

The statement also condemned the May 14 relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (Quds) as a “disgraceful” and “illegal” action.

International Quds Day was initiated by the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 to express solidarity with Palestinians and oppose the Zionist regime.

Rallies are held each year in various cities around the world by both Muslims and non-Muslim communities. Many Jewish people also attend the rallies in order to draw a line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.

Participating in the rallies, Ali Akbar Velayati, the senior foreign policy advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said that the U.S. move in relocating embassy has made the Muslims “more united” displayed in Quds Day rallies.

These demonstrations are actually a response to the U.S., the Zionist regime and regional reactionary states, Velayati remarked.

Tehran Friday prayer leader Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said Imam Khomeini stood against the “dangerous enemy and showed us the path to redemption”.

Khatami noted that the rallies on Quds Day are against the “evil triangle” of the U.S., Zionist regime and Saudi Arabia.

‘Israel seeking to marginalize Palestine issue’ 

Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the Zionist regime is seeking to divert the public opinion from the sufferings of the Palestinians and marginalize the Palestine issue.

“The Zionist regime seeks to divert the public opinion from the Palestine issue. They have started the job. The Saudis and the Zionist regime’s actions in Iran’s nuclear issue were efforts to divert public opinion and were to make the Israeli crimes forgotten,” Larijani told marches.

Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the only regimes which have backed Trump’s exit from the nuclear deal that Iran struck with the European Union, Germany and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council in July 2015. 

Larijani went on to say that Israel’s security is “shaky”. He said the Israelis are aware of the fact that resistance forces have been strengthened.

In an indirect reference to the Zionist regime’s attacks against Palestinians in Gaza, Larijani said the Israelis taking pre-emptive actions to maintain stability.

‘Rallies on Quds Day show Muslims’ unity’

Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani said that mass participation at Quds Day rallies show the Muslims’ unity and power.

The U.S. and its regional allies cannot do anything as long as the Muslims are united, he noted.

‘Zionist regime’s oppressions are against humanity’

Seyed Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of Imam Khomeini, said on Thursday that the Zionist regime’s oppressions are “against the humanity”.

Oppressions being practiced against the Palestinians by Israel has upset the whole world, he said.

NA/PA