In a statement issued at the conclusion of the Quds Day rallies on Friday, the Iranian protesters also lashed out at Tel Aviv’s barbaric attacks against Palestinians, especially women and children, and reiterated that the Iranian nation will spare no support for the liberation of Quds and the oppressed and defenseless Palestinian nation from the grip of the fake Zionist regime.
They referred to unity and solidarity among Palestinian groups as a major necessity for achieving the freedom of Quds from occupation, and said the only way for victorious confrontation with the illegitimate regime of Israel is following the model used by Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas resistance movements in the 33-day (2006), 22-day (2008-9), and 8-day (2012) wars as well as the current conflict in Gaza.
The statement further described the Zionist atrocities in Gaza as "war crime and genocide," and called on the international bodies, human rights organizations and Muslim countries to condemn the Israeli crimes and take serious action against Zionist regime officials.
It went on to stress "the need for the return of all Palestinian refugees to Palestine" and holding a comprehensive and free referendum to determine the future of the country, stressing that "any other solution aimed at maintaining the fake Israeli regime’s existence is doomed to failure."
Iranians of different social strata held massive rallies all over the country on Friday morning to mark the International Quds Day in a show of support for the oppressed nation of Palestine.
The huge demonstrations saw Iranians venting their anger on the Tel Aviv regime and its allies and calling for an end to the Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip.
Carrying placards and chanting slogans against Israel and the US, marchers voiced their support for the people of Gaza, and reiterated their opposition to the occupation of the Palestinian territories by the Zionists.
Each year, the International Quds Day is celebrated on the last Friday of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
The event’s overarching theme is support for the Palestinians and fierce denunciation of Israel.
The day is also seen as the legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini, who officially declared the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as International Quds Day back in 1979.
This year's rallies came against the backdrop of a massive Israeli onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip.
As the 18-day Israeli offensive on Gaza rages on, almost 850 Palestinians have been killed, and over 5,200 other injured in the besieged enclave.