Tehran Blasts Mar Annual Al-Quds Day March Supporting Palestinians

Explosions near a pro-Palestinian march in the Iranian capital of Tehran have disrupted the country's annual Al-Quds Day rallies, which see thousands take to the streets across Iran in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Al-Quds Day is an annual event held on the last Friday of Ramadan, established by the late Ayatollah Khomeini to express support for the Palestinians and oppose Zionism and Israel's occupation of Jerusalem.

This year's events in Tehran were marred by blasts near the route of the march, with local authorities reporting at least three explosions that caused no casualties. The cause of the explosions remains under investigation, though some officials have suggested they may have been the result of a technical issue. Despite the disruptions, thousands of Iranians continued the march, chanting slogans against Israel and the United States and expressing their support for Palestinians.

The Al-Quds Day rallies are a significant annual event for Iran, which has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause and a vocal critic of Israel. The country's leadership routinely denounces Israel as an illegal occupier and calls for its destruction, while providing political, financial, and military support to Palestinian groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

In his remarks at this year's Al-Quds Day event in Tehran, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated his country's commitment to the Palestinian cause, stating that "the occupying regime of Jerusalem must be eliminated from the geographical scene." Raisi also condemned recent violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

The annual Al-Quds Day rallies are not limited to Iran, with similar demonstrations taking place in other parts of the Muslim world, as well as in some Western countries with sizeable Muslim populations. These events serve as a platform for expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposition to Israel's policies, which are seen by many as a continued occupation and denial of Palestinian rights.

Despite the disruptions in Tehran, the Al-Quds Day rallies across Iran this year once again demonstrated the country's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and its willingness to confront what it views as the "occupying regime" of Israel. The events highlight the enduring significance of the Palestinian issue in the region and the Islamic Republic's role in championing it on the global stage.