TEHRAN - After Friday prayers large numbers of people poured into the streets across Iran to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of the Zionist regime.

The demonstrations were held at about 1000 cities in Iran with more than 80-million population. 

The U.S. president declared on Wednesday that he recognized al-Quds as the capital of Israel and ordered the relocation of the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to al-Quds.

In Tehran, tens of thousands of protesters condemned Trump’s decision, chanting slogans against Israel and the U.S. and expressing support for the Palestinian nation.

Iranian Foreign Ministry immediately issued a statement denouncing the move and said it stands in stark violation of “international resolutions”.

Trump’s decision sparked outrage across the Middle East, reversing seven decades of U.S. policy. The move has faced international condemnation. 

The UN Security Council was expected to meet on Friday after eight countries, including permanent council members France and the UK, asked António Guterres, UN secretary-general, for a briefing on the U.S. president’s decision. 

The EU’s top diplomat on Thursday warned that the Israel-Palestine conflict could descend into “even darker times”. Federica Mogherini, the bloc’s foreign affairs chief, said the U.S. announcement “has a very worrying potential impact” for peace in the region. “It could send us backwards into even darker times than the ones we are already living in,” she said. 

Palestinians clashed with Israeli security forces on Friday. Hamas called for “day of rage” on Friday, saying Trump had “opened the gates of hell”.

NA/PA