WANA (Oct 07) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reaffirming Iran’s principled stance in supporting the liberation struggles and anti-occupation efforts of the Palestinian and Lebanese people and its comprehensive support for resistance against occupation and aggression, once again declares its solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian nation until the liberation of historic Palestine and the realization of their rights, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

 

The full text of the statement is as follows:

 

For seventy-six years, the usurpation of Palestinian lands and the blatant violation of the fundamental rights of its oppressed people, especially their right to self-determination and the right to life, have wounded the spirit of the Islamic Ummah and all free people, perpetually challenging peace and stability in the region.

 

The Zionist apartheid regime, during decades of occupying Palestinian lands, has carried out policies of genocide, the displacement of Palestinians, and the desecration of Islamic holy sites with the direct and indirect support of its Western allies, particularly the U.S., in occupied Palestine.

 

The action taken by the Palestinian resistance on October 7, 2023, known as Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, marked a turning point in the history of the Palestinian people’s legitimate struggle against the occupation and the oppression of the Zionist regime. This operation was the eruption of the long-suppressed fury of the Palestinian nation against eight decades of occupation, massacre, and genocide.

 

Over the past year, we have witnessed the continuation and intensification of genocidal policies, mass killings, and organized terrorism by the aggressive Zionist regime against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as against the Lebanese people.

 

Today, the Zionist regime is more despised than ever by the free nations of the world, and the prosecution and trial of its leaders for committing the most heinous international crimes, particularly genocide, has become a global demand.

 

The insistence of independent states and free nations on ending the impunity of Zionist criminals and addressing their crimes in the International Criminal Court, along with the involvement of the International Court of Justice in stopping the genocide—despite U.S. obstruction and opposition from other Western supporters of the occupation regime—clearly reflects the public’s desire to punish the perpetrators of crimes against the Palestinian people.

 

Despite the unprecedented crimes of the regime over the past year, and the complete destruction of Gaza and the killing of over 50,000 innocent people, the regime’s sinister goal of eradicating resistance and the desire for justice has not only failed but has continued with greater motivation and fervor.

 

The loss of great resistance leaders such as Martyr Ismail Haniyeh, Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Martyr Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, the courageous Secretary-General of the Islamic Resistance Movement of Lebanon, and many other commanders and officials of the resistance front, although a great loss, will ensure that the pure blood of these martyrs keeps the cause of liberating Palestine and resisting the Zionist regime’s dominance over the region more alive than ever.

 

Today, resistance is not limited to Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Islamic countries. Rather, hatred of occupation and genocide and support for resistance against the usurping regime has become a global trend.

 

The illegitimate Zionist regime, which is the prominent symbol of organized state terrorism in the world, adds a new disgraceful chapter to its extensive record of international crimes each time. Over the past year, the Zionists have not targeted any military objectives.

 

Instead, the regime’s targets have been civilians, places of worship, schools, hospitals, media offices, and, in general, ordinary people and civilian infrastructure.

 

Committing international crimes, including war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, and gross violations of all moral and humanitarian norms and international rules will undoubtedly lead to the criminal responsibility of the perpetrators and those who aided and abetted them.

 

The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the killing of over 52,000 innocent people—most of them women and children—the injury of over 100,000 people, the displacement of more than two million Palestinians in Gaza, the imposition of famine and starvation on the people, as well as the repeated aggressions against Lebanon and the killing and displacement of its civilians. Iran stresses the urgent need for the immediate cessation of aggression and crimes by the regime against the people of the region.

 

The supporters of the occupation regime, especially the U.S., by providing military aid and backing the Zionist regime, are complicit in the regime’s crimes against the people of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen and must be held accountable.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing Iran’s principled position in supporting the liberation struggles of the Palestinian and Lebanese people and its all-out support for resistance against occupation and aggression, reaffirms its solidarity with the cause of the Palestinian nation until the liberation of the historical land of Palestine from occupation and the realization of their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

 

The Islamic Republic of Iran calls on all Islamic and Arab countries in the region to recognize the grave situation caused by the belligerence and expansionist ambitions of the occupying regime and stresses the necessity of Islamic and human cooperation and solidarity to stop the regime’s malice and aggressions.