TEHRAN – Iranians from all walks of life took part on Friday in nationwide rallies to mark International Quds Day, which is held on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan every year.

The rallies in Iran started at 10 a.m. local time in the main squares of cities. Demonstrators chanted slogans against Israel and the U.S. in a bid to shed light on their role in trampling the rights of the Palestinian people. 

The rallies also featured speeches by local and national officials. 

In Tehran, senior government and military officials such as President Ebrahim Raisi, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, and IRGC chief Commander Hossein Salami participated in the rallies. The officials said the end of the Zionist regime of Israel is near. 

They also condemned normalization of relations with Israel. Underling that the collapse of the Zionist regime is very close, Ayatollah Raisi said, “This population across the Muslim world indicates that the collapse of the Zionist regime and the liberation of al-Quds is very close; closer than expected.”

He added, “The message of participating in the Quds Day march is to declare the solidarity of the Islamic Ummah and that the attempt to normalize relations between the Zionist regime and the governments of the region is not and will not be security-building.”

The IRGC chief echoed a similar assessment. Addressing demonstrators in the central city of Isfahan, General Salami said the ultimate victory for Palestine is not distant, as every move made by the Zionist regime would drive it closer to collapse. The fall of the Zionist regime is pretty imminent, the commander stated, according to Tasnim

“The cause of liberation of al-Quds has become a clear and achievable reality,” the top military official added.

General Salami enumerated the crises the Israeli regime is grappling with, saying while the foreign policy crisis is making the Zionist regime more isolated, the internal chaos and instability coupled with social protests and the Tel Aviv regime’s impotence have steered the regime towards irreversible decay. 

“Today, the enigma of (how to ensure) security is becoming more complicated for the (Zionist) regime every day,” the general stated, adding that the Zionists come under attacks from Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip, but are unable to respond and do not know who launches the strikes.

Qalibaf also addressed the Quds Day demonstrators. He pointed out that resistance is the only way to achieve ultimate victory over the Zionist regime.

“Quds Day is a very significant and influential day for the Islamic Ummah and the Muslim countries. Quds Day indicated that success and victory are achieved only through resistance,” he said before demonstrators in Tehran, according to Tasnim.

Qalibaf added that the arrogance front, including the U.S. and the Zionists, had plans to consign the issue of Palestine into oblivion with the help of Daesh (ISIL) terrorists, but the resistance front foiled such a plot as the whole resistance forces rushed to protect the Islamic territories and defeated ISIL.

“The issue of Palestine is still alive. Even in the sports events, like the FIFA World Cup, we saw supports for Palestine and the cause of Palestine. This support is not confined to the Muslims, but is backed by all freedom-seeking people across the world,” Qalibaf noted.