TEHRAN – Iranian Parliament speaker Ali Larijani says U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize al-Quds (Jerusalem) as the capital of Israel is a plot to empower lenient positions toward Israel which will hurt the Palestinian cause.

Larijani made the remarks during a public session of the parliament on Wednesday. He also said al-Quds is the eternal capital of Palestine, calling the world to reiterate such position as to foil the U.S. president’s conspiracy.

“The decision to relocate America and some other countries’ missions from Tel Aviv to al-Quds was a conspiracy organized by U.S. President Donald Trump,” he was quoted by IRNA as saying.

Trump’s December 6 announcement to recognize al-Quds as Israel’s capital and move the U.S. embassy there has faced anger from all over the world, including the Muslim world and even U.S. allies.

“The move was in line with a fragile compromise by certain Palestinians and a step to tarnish their reputation,” Larijani said. 

He was referring to reports on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s inaction in the face of Trump’s anti-Palestinian move.

Earlier this months, four Palestinian officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and President Abbas had discussed in detail a grand bargain that Trump and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser, are expected to unveil in the first half of 2018.

One official said Prince Mohammed asked Abbas to show support for the U.S. administration’s peace efforts when the two met in Riyadh in November.

Another Palestinian official said Prince Mohammed told Abbas: “Be patient, you will hear good news. This peace process will go ahead.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Larijani pointed to the recent anti-Iran allegations made by U.S. representative to the United Nations Nikki Haley, saying the claims were Washington’s propaganda to distract the public from its failed policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On December 14, Haley showcased parts of a missile wreckage which was launched from Yemen toward Saudi Arabia. She then accused Iran of providing Yemen’s Houthis with missiles.

The U.S. government was trying to distract public opinion from the predicament it had created, said the speaker. 

Larijani’s remarks came after Iranian lawmakers approved the outlines of a bill to amend the law on the Islamic Republic’s support for Palestine by recognizing al-Quds as the eternal capital of Palestine.

The motion received the unanimous support of Iranian lawmakers, with 207 votes in favor and no opposition nor abstentions.

In May 9, 1990, members of the third Iranian parliament adopted the “Law on the Islamic Revolution’s Support of People of Palestine”.

The Law tasks the presiding board of the parliament of Iran to deepen and broaden support for Palestine through different methods and to convene representatives of Muslim countries as well as pundits on appropriate occasions.

MH/