WANA (Mar 13) – Large crowds gathered in Tehran and other cities of Iran on Friday morning for the annual Quds Day march, an event held each year in Iran and several other countries to express support for Palestinians.

 

Quds Day is observed on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, a date that changes each year according to the Islamic calendar.

 

The day was first designated in 1979 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who called for an annual day of demonstrations to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposition to Israeli control over Jerusalem, known in Arabic as Al-Quds.

 

Since then, rallies have been held every year across Iran, with demonstrations taking place in cities and towns nationwide. According to officials, this year’s marches are being organized in nearly 1,000 cities across the country.

 

This year’s Quds Day carries a different significance compared with previous years. It comes at a time when Iran has been attacked by the United States and Israel and is defending its territory.

 

Despite concerns about possible security threats and warnings that attacks could occur, many people still chose to gather in public squares and streets across the country to show their support and voice opposition to enemies of Iran and the Islamic world.

 

It is noteworthy that shortly after the march began near Enghelab Square in Tehran, several explosion-like sounds were heard in the area. Participants did not disperse; instead, many responded by chanting “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great”), continuing the march and remaining in place.

In Tehran, people began arriving along ten designated routes leading toward central areas of the capital ahead of the official start of the march.

 

Participants carried banners, chanted slogans, and expressed support for Palestinians while also voicing opposition to hostility by the United States and Israel toward Iran and the region.

 

The demonstrations took place despite cold and rainy weather in Tehran and several other Iranian cities.

 

Iranian Officials Seen Marching Alongside Citizens in Rally

During the march, several senior Iranian officials were present alongside the public. Among those seen were:

  • Mokhber, advisor and assistant to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
  • Brigadier General Ahmadreza Radan, Iran’s Chief of Police
  • Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran
  • Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council
  • Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani
  • Sattar Hashemi, Minister of Information and Communications Technology
  • Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad
  • The head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei
  • Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian
  • Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, etc.

 

 

Iran’s Larijani Reacts to Israeli Attacks

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, commented on recent Israeli attacks while participating in the Quds Day march.

 

Larijani stated that U.S. President Donald Trump “does not understand that the Iranian nation is mature, strong, and determined.” He added that “the more pressure the United States applies, the stronger the resolve of the people becomes.”

 

He further remarked that the attacks carried out by Israel against the Quds Day march route are a sign of the aggressor’s desperation.

 

“The message of the Iranian people in the World Quds Day march is that we stand firmly against the enemy,” Larijani said.

 

Quds Day rallies are expected to continue throughout the day across Iran, with participants gathering in cities nationwide to express solidarity with Palestinians and their positions on regional developments.

 

Woman Killed in Quds Day March Following U.S.-Israeli Attacks

A woman was reportedly killed near the site of the Quds Day march following U.S. – Israeli attacks. Participants stated that the flag she was carrying became stained with her blood.

Enemies Will Be Forced to Acknowledge the Power of the Iranian People

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that on Quds Day, despite what he described as brutal attacks by Israel and the United States, millions of Iranians took to the streets in Tehran and other cities to demonstrate their steadfast support for the Islamic Republic, Jerusalem, Palestine, and national ideals.

 

He added that, God willing, this resolve will continue, and that Iran’s adversaries will eventually be compelled to recognize the power of the Iranian people.

 

Regarding the oil price, Araghchi said, “Rising oil and energy prices are the result of U.S. and Israeli actions in the region. They have caused this disaster for the region and must be held accountable.”