In a symbolic act on the occasion of the International Quds Day, the people of Tabriz carried the 200-meter flag of Palestine in the streets of this city. This year, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, rallies had a different shape and style.
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Speech of Imam Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on the occasion of Quds Day
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and His peace and greetings be upon Muhammad, upon his pure Household, upon his chosen companions and upon those who follow them until the Day of Judgment.
I extend my greetings to all the Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world and I congratulate them in advance on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. I also pray to God to accept their worship acts and servitude in this Holy Month of Ramadan, and I thank the Benevolent Creator for the blessing of being present in this month of this divine banquet.
Today is Quds Day, a day created – thanks to Imam Khomeini’s (r.a.) intelligent initiative – to unite Muslims on the issue of Holy Quds and in support of the oppressed people of Palestine. It has played an important role in this regard for several decades now, and God willing, it will continue to do so in the future as well. Nations welcomed Quds Day and considered it to be a religious obligation to hold up the flag for Palestine’s liberation. The main policy of the Arrogant Powers and Zionism is to push aside the issue of Palestine in the minds of Muslim communities and to cause it to fade into oblivion.
The most urgent responsibility in this regard is fighting this treachery, which is conducted by the enemy’s political and cultural mercenaries in Islamic countries. The truth is that an issue as important as Palestine is not something that the pride, self-esteem and increasing intelligence of Muslim nations will allow to sink into oblivion, even if the Americans, other domineering powers and their regional minions use all their money and power to achieve this goal.
First, I would like to highlight the magnitude of the tragedy of the occupation of Palestine and the formation of the cancerous tumor of Zionism in that country. Among crimes against humanity in recent times, there is no crime that equals this crime in terms of scope and gravity. Occupying a country, permanently driving its people out from their homes and their fatherland, and continuing this historical oppression for decades using the most horrifying forms of murder, crime, destruction of farmlands, and genocide – this is indeed a new record in brutality and wickedness.
The main agents and criminals behind this tragedy are the western governments and their satanic policies. The day when the governments who had the won the war in the First World War were carving up West Asia – namely, the Asian territories of the Ottoman Empire – among themselves at the Paris Conference as spoils of war, they felt the need for a safe stronghold in the heart of this region more than ever in order to guarantee their permanent hegemony. Years earlier, through the Balfour Declaration and with the help of the thinking of the rich Jewish leaders, the British had prepared the ground for the innovation of Zionism to carry out this role. And now the practical groundwork was in place. During those early years, they gradually prepared the preliminaries, and finally after the Second World War they used the opportunity created by the negligence and problems of the regional countries, and dealt their blow. They announced the creation of the bogus regime, the Zionist state without a nation.
The primary target of this blow was the Palestinian nation and secondarily all the other nations in the region. A look at the events that followed in the region shows that the main, short-term goal that westerners and Jewish company owners pursued by creating the Zionist regime was to build a stronghold for their permanent presence and influence in West Asia and also to gain easy access for the opportunity to interfere, coerce and dominate over the regional countries and governments. Therefore, they equipped the bogus and occupying regime with various kinds of military and non-military tools of power, even with atomic weapons, and their plans included the growth of this cancerous tumor from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Sadly, after their initial struggles of resistance, some of which were praiseworthy, the majority of Arab governments gradually succumbed. Particularly after the United States took charge in this matter, they forgot their human, Islamic and political responsibilities and their Arab pride. With delusional hopes they contributed to the enemy’s goals. The Camp David Agreement is a clear example of this bitter historical fact.
After brave sacrifices and struggles in the early years, resistance groups were gradually pulled to the path of unsuccessful negotiations with the occupier and its supporters. They abandoned the route that could have led to the realization of the Palestinian dream. Negotiations with America and other western governments, and also negotiations with useless international groups, were bitter, unsuccessful experiences for Palestine. Holding out an olive branch at the United Nations General Assembly had no result other than the injurious Oslo Accords, and it led to the eye-opening fate of Yasser Arafat.
The dawn of the Islamic Revolution in Iran opened up a new chapter in the struggle for Palestine. From the first steps – namely, driving out the Zionist elements who considered Iran of the Pahlavi period to be one of their safe strongholds – to assigning the unofficial embassy of the Zionist regime to the office of the Palestinian representative, stopping the flow of oil, other great achievements and widespread political activities. All of these measures brought about the emergence of a front of resistance in the entire region. The hope of solving this issue flourished in hearts. The emergence of the resistance front presented the Zionist regime with increasing problems. God willing, the Zionist regime will encounter even more problems in the future.
However, the efforts of the supporters of that regime – with America in the front – increased sharply in order to defend the Zionists. The emergence of the faithful, young, self-sacrificing force of Hezbollah in Lebanon and the formation of highly-motivated groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad within the Palestinian borders unsettled and alarmed not only the Zionist ringleaders but also America and other aggressive western powers. After and in addition to their support of the occupying regime with weapons and propaganda, they added recruiting from within the region and from within Arab society to the top of their agenda. Today the result of their voluminous work is obvious and in plain view, revealing itself in the actions and words of certain leaders of Arab governments and certain treacherous political and cultural Arab activists.
Today, both fronts engage in various activities in the arena of struggle. The difference between them is that the resistance front is moving with increasing power and hope, and it marches on towards attracting increasing elements of power, while the opposing front of oppression, unbelief and arrogance is growing more hollow, hopeless and powerless by the day. A clear manifestation of this assertion is the fact that the Zionist army, which was once considered to be invincible and lightning fast, one that would stop the aggression of two great armies in a matter of days, is currently forced to retreat and accept defeat against popular forces in Lebanon and Gaza.
Nevertheless, the arena of struggle is volatile and full of dangers. It requires constant vigilance, and the objective of this struggle is very important, fateful and vital. Any kind of negligence, inattention or mistakes in fundamental calculations will inflict heavy damage.
Therefore, I would like to offer some advice to all those who have strong feelings for the issue of Palestine:
1- The struggle to liberate Palestine is Jihad in the way of God, and it is an obligation and an Islamic goal. Victory in such a struggle has been guaranteed, because the person who is fighting, even if he is killed, will receive “one of the two excellent things.” [Quran 9:52] Apart from this, the issue of Palestine is a human issue. Driving out millions of human beings from their homes, farmlands and places of business, and doing so through murder and crimes, troubles everyone’s conscience and it inspires opposition in everyone who has courage and determination. Therefore, restricting this to be merely a Palestinian issue, or at best an Arab issue, is a grave mistake. Those who consider the concessions made by a few Palestinian elements or rulers of a few Arab countries as a license to sidestep this Islamic and human issue are making a grave mistake in understanding the issue, and perhaps they are guilty of betrayal for distorting the truth.
2- The aim of this struggle is the liberation of all the Palestinian lands – from the river to the sea – and the return of all Palestinians to their homeland. Reducing this struggle to the formation of a government in a corner of the Palestinian lands – particularly, in the humiliating way that is mentioned in the discourse of shameless Zionists – is neither a sign of righteous struggle nor a sign of realism. The truth is that today millions of Palestinians have achieved a level of thinking, experience and self-esteem such that they can focus their efforts on this great struggle in the way of God and be certain of divine assistance and the ultimate victory. “Surely Allah will help him who helps His cause; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.” [22:40] Undoubtedly, many Muslims throughout the world will support them and share in their struggle, God willing.
3- Although using any halal and religiously permissible means, including global support, is allowed in this struggle – it is absolutely essential to avoid trusting western governments and international groups that are covertly or overtly dependent on them. They are opposed to any effective entity of an Islamic nature. They have no regard for human rights. They themselves are the cause of the worst harm and crimes against the Islamic nation. Which global institution and which criminal power is currently being held accountable for the assassinations, the mass murders, the warmongering, the bombings and the human-made famines in many Islamic and Arab countries?
Today, the world is counting one by one every victim of the coronavirus across the globe, but nobody has asked who is responsible for the hundreds of thousands of martyrdoms, imprisonments and disappearances in countries where America and Europe have waged wars. Who is responsible for all the unlawful bloodshed in Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria and other countries? Who is responsible for all these crimes and for the occupation, destruction and oppression in Palestine? Why didn’t anyone count the millions of oppressed children, women and men in the world of Islam? Why doesn’t anyone extend their condolences for the mass murder of Muslims? Why should millions of Palestinians spend 70 years away from their homes and in exile? And why should Holy Quds, the first Qiblah of Muslims, be desecrated? The so-called United Nations is not fulfilling its function and the so-called human rights organizations are dead. The slogan of defending the rights of women and children excludes Yemeni and Palestinian women and children.
This is the current condition of the oppressive western powers and dependent global organizations. The disgrace of certain regional governments that follow them is beyond words.
Therefore, a proud and pious Muslim society must rely on itself and its internal forces. It must raise its powerful hand and remove obstacles by relying on and trusting in God.
4- The important point that must not be ignored by the political and military elites of the Islamic world is that the policy of America and the Zionists is to transfer conflicts to behind the frontlines of the front of resistance. Starting civil wars in Syria, the military siege and constant killings in Yemen, the assassinations, the destruction, the creation of the Daesh in Iraq and other similar things in some other countries in the region are all machinations to divert the attention of the resistance front and to provide opportunities for the Zionist regime. Some Muslim politicians knowingly, and some others unknowingly, have contributed to these machinations of the enemy. The main way to prevent these machinations is for the proud youth throughout the world of Islam to seriously make this demand. Young people in all Islamic countries, particularly in Arab countries, must pay attention to this advice from Imam Khomeini (r.a.), “Vent all your shouts on America” and of course, on the Zionist enemy.
5- The policy of normalizing the presence of the Zionist regime in the region is one of the main policies of the United States of America. Certain Arab governments in the region, which act as America’s minions, have been preparing the ground for this normalization by establishing economic ties and other such things. These efforts are completely vain and futile. The Zionist regime is a deadly, cancerous growth and a detriment to this region. It will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed. Then, the shame will fall on those who put their facilities at the service of this policy of the arrogant powers. To justify this disgraceful behavior, some people argue that the Zionist regime is a reality that the region must come to terms with. They forget that it is necessary to fight and destroy fatal and harmful realities. Today the coronavirus is a reality and yet all wise people agree that it is necessary to fight it. Undoubtedly, the long-lasting virus of Zionism will not last much longer, and it will be uprooted thanks to the determination, faith and pride of the youth.
6-My main advice is to continue this struggle and to better organize the organizations for Jihad work, their cooperation and to expand the areas of Jihad inside Palestinian territories. Everyone must assist the Palestinian nation in this holy struggle. Everyone must contribute to the Palestinian fighters and stand behind them. We will proudly do everything in our power on this path. One day we came to the conclusion that the Palestinian fighters had piety, pride and courage and their only problem was that they had no weapons in their hands. With divine guidance and assistance, we planned and the result was that the balance of power was transformed in Palestine, and today Gaza can stand against the aggression of the Zionist enemy and defeat it. This change in the equation in the occupied lands will bring the issue of Palestine closer to the final steps. The Palestinian Authority has a great responsibility in this regard. One cannot communicate with a savage enemy except through force and from a position of power. Thankfully, the ground has been prepared for the brave and resistant people of Palestine to gain this power. Today, the Palestinian youth are yearning to defend their dignity.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been a proof for everyone. The world has not forgotten and will not forget the day when the Zionist army broke through the Lebanese borders and marched till Beirut or the day when a criminal murderer by the name of Ariel Sharon caused a bloodbath in Sabra and Shatila. It has not forgotten and will not forget the day when the same army pounded by Hezbollah had no choice but to retreat from the borders of Lebanon and beg for a truce after sustaining heavy casualties and admitting defeat. This is what full hands and a position of power means. Now let that European government, which should be eternally ashamed for selling chemical agents to the regime of Saddam Hussein, designate the devoted Hezbollah as illegal. Illegal is a regime like America that creates the Daesh and a regime like that European government whose chemical agents caused the death of thousands in the city of Baneh in Iran and the city of Halabja in Iraq.
7-My final word is that Palestine belongs to the Palestinians; therefore, it should be run as they wish. The referendum – with the participation of all Palestinian religions and ethnicities, this is what we have been suggesting for almost two decades – is the only solution for the challenges which Palestine is facing at the present time and in the future. This plan shows that the western accusations of anti-Semitism which have been repeated time and time again are completely unfounded. On the basis of this plan, Jewish, Christian and Muslim Palestinians will determine together the political system of their country by participating in a referendum. That which should definitely go is the Zionist regime, since Zionism is a bizarre innovation which has been planted in Judaism and is totally alien to that religion.
I would like to close this speech by remembering the martyrs of Quds, including Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Fathi Shaqaqi, Sayyid Abbas al-Musawi, Martyr Soleimani, the great Muslim commander and the unforgettable face of resistance, and also the great Iraqi Mujahid Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. I extend my greetings to the soul of the great Imam Khomeini (r.a.) who opened the path of dignity and Jihad for us. I also ask Allah the Exalted to bestow His mercy on our late brother, Hussein Sheikh al-Islam who for years worked diligently on this path.
May Allah’s greetings and mercy be upon you.
Palestine, 41 years after Quds Day
Mehdi Azizi : The first question to be asked about the reason behind the organizing of the International Quds Day is, ‘what is the importance and impact of this day?’
Was the naming of this day by the founder of the Islamic Revolution of Iran just a simple gesture to perpetuate this national and Islamic occasion, or could there be more important motives involved? Why was the Palestinian issue so important in the roadmap and theorization of the Iranian Revolution before the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran?
To understand the importance of this national and Islamic occasion, two important historical periods should be examined and compared with one another. The first is the developments and conditions of the time the Iranian Revolution won and the Quds Day was designated, and the second is the conditions that we are living in today after 41 years of holding the first Quds Day.
First: The situation in the region and Palestine before the victory of the Islamic Revolution
The Islamic Revolution of Iran gained victory in a situation where the Palestinian issue was on the verge of removal from the geography of the Islamic world.
Besides the huge mass of conspiracies devised and hatched by the global Zionism, what had dragged the situation down to this disappointing level was the sense of despair and resignation among the regional nations as a result of the successive defeats of the Arab armies against the Zionist regime.
The reason for these defeats was nothing except too much focus on ethnocentrism and ignoring the Islamic concepts in choosing the method of fighting, as well as the Arab leaders’ political exploitation of the Palestinian issue. In particular, the Arab leaders had no choice but to sacrifice the aspirations of the Palestinian people to ensure their own political stability. There was no rationality in the political behavior of these countries except for the desire to improve relations with the United States and the Zionist regime.
The process of decision-making and determining the political priorities of the Arab leaders was not rooted in the will and support of the people but in the Zionist regime. Therefore, their main focus had always been on keeping Tel Aviv happy, which resulted in their retreat, betrayal, and surrender in the face of the Palestinian cause.
The more humiliation these Arab governments received at the hands of Israel, the more oppressive and dictatorial they became toward their own people.
The militant movements at the time were virtually ineffective because they had no political experience and did not know the real demands of the people of the region and the Islamic Ummah, and also because of their dependence on the Eastern camp. As such, some of them, much like the Palestine Liberation Organization, ended up agreeing to negotiations and compromise.
The internal situation of the Palestinians was not optimal, either. Although their means and method of fighting were commendable, they were ultimately ineffective, especially since the main Palestinian resistance organization at the time became part of the ‘compromise’ project.
Outside the borders of the occupied territories, Israel was able to expand its security by occupying Arab countries, and continued with its acts of genocide by destroying Palestinian houses and causing their forced migration. The only thing the Arabs could do was to issue a statement or plead with international organizations and even the Israelis themselves to stop the genocide. Although, the same Arab countries had close relations at the highest level of security with the intelligence agencies of the Zionist regime.
All these factors together led to severe frustration and despair, and the peoples of the region became confused and hopeless due to the lack of a fixed and successful model for fighting. Conditions were set for accepting all of Israel’s demands in the face of a small concession that, although not yet granted to the Palestinian National Authority, paved the way for the destruction of Palestine.
On the other hand, the efforts of the Western and Hebrew media were aimed at downgrading the Palestinian issue from a Muslim priority to an Israeli-Arab conflict.
Second: The conditions after the victory of the Iranian Revolution
Undoubtedly, one could say the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran meant the emergence of a new era for resistance movements in the region and even in the world. On the other hand, it should be noted that Quds Day is not just an Islamic and national occasion, but a strategic package and a valuable concept for drawing the future of Muslim nations and their point of convergence.
It can be said that all the concepts of political Islam and effective fight, as well as hope for the future in the light of the Islamic resistance discourse, have been wrapped up into a package called Quds Day.
But what happened after the victory of the Iranian Revolution that we believe was the beginning of a new era for Palestine and the region? The most important event was the creation of a new model in the region that, without being dependent on either the East or the West camps, was able to overcome a Western-dependent dictatorial structure.
It was then that the resistance groups in Palestine were formed, but this time with an Islamic suffix and approach. The formation of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine and Hamas are prime examples of such groups. Of course, it was not only the titles and suffixes that changed but also the approaches of these movements, which, influenced by the discourse of the Islamic Revolution, acquired a new way of fighting, which later, especially after 2006, led to dramatic changes in the region’s political literature and military balance.
The means, methods, and locations of the fight also changed. Intifada stones became rockets that have shattered Israel’s depth of security today. The surrounding areas around the Zionist regime are insecure. If the regime’s biggest concern before was the opening of the Palestinian embassy in Tehran, today it should be worried about the presence of Resistance and its discourse only a few meters away from the borders of the occupied territories.
Despite the fictitious crises fabricated by the West in the region to reduce the power of Resistance, the Resistance, on the contrary, obtained experiences and achieved newer capacities because of them, so much so that today the Resistance enjoys both effective defense and deterrence and offensive power.
The end of the myth of invincibility
Today can be considered the peak of evolution and maturity in the history of Resistance, which has gone through hard times. This is an era that put an end to the myth of Israel’s invincibility. Today, 41 years after the holding of Quds Day, we can understand the actual impact of this discourse and how it is materialized into the school of great commanders such as Hajj Qassim.
The political, military and even the media atmosphere in the region has changed. Today, everything has changed in the light of the Quds Day discourse, and day by day, the geography of its supporters becomes expanded.
MNA/
Martyr Gen. Soleimani family’s statement: Fighting to continue until complete annihilation of Zionist regime
On the occasion of International Quds Day, marking the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, the esteemed family of former IRGC’s Quds Force Commander Martyr Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani released a statement on Wed. and emphasized, “in continuation of the sacred blood of martyr Lt. Gen. Soleimani, we are on the battlefield until the complete annihilation of the Zionist regime.”
Some excerpts of the statement are read as follows,
The noble nation of Islamic Iran, oppressed people of Palestine and all oppressed in the world
Commander Qassem Soleimani was the commander of combatants of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps [IRGC] on the battlefield. Everywhere in the world, if any arrogant intends to subjugate the oppressed and downtrodden people, Quds Force stands against it and supports the international combatants of the Resistance Front by all its means.
The name of Quds’ borderless corps is a manifestation of ideal and cause of liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and is one of the fundamental rituals and slogans of the late founding father of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini [RA].
As of the early days, the Islamic Revolution of Iran expelled the usurper regime of Israel and handed over their embassy to its chief owners i.e. Palestinians. The motto of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the eight years of the Sacred Defense [Iraqi imposed war against Iran, 198-1988] was “fighting until the liberation of Holy Quds” and for realizing its objectives, many bloodsheds were poured for the sake of the liberation of Al-Quds.
In the wee hours of Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, the world’s most violent terrorist i.e. the United States assassinated Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and his comrades in Baghdad International Airport at the behest of the US President at the time he was performing his mission. This meant that the ideal and cause of Al-Quds no longer know any border.
MA/
Quds Day; Imam Khomeini’s wise idea to awaken Muslims
The International Quds Day that was initiated by Imam Khomeini in Ramadan 1399 AH (mid-summer 1979) has ushered in a movement against the Global Arrogance led by the US and the Zionist regime.
On this day, the Muslims of the world take to the streets to condemn Israeli occupation, torture, crimes against humanity by bombardment of civilian targets and systematic killing of the young protesters demanding Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories of the Palestinians.
Palestine is the land of prophets and the first Qibla for the Muslims. For its special standing, it has always been attacked by others. 70 years ago, a regime was formed in the Holy Land by the help of the West, which was named “the cancerous tumor” by Imam Khomeini.
In the past 70 years, the Zionists have colonized the heart of the Islamic lands. The displacement of Palestinians started in 1947 and reached a peak in 1948 on Nakba Day. 650,000 Palestinians were forced to leave their homes on that day and today 4,000,000 Palestinians live out of their motherland in the neighboring countries’ camps. They all are suffering a thorn in their flesh.
So, the Islamic World should not keep quiet against the oppression and suppression of the Palestinians. Imam Khomeini revived the pro-Palestinian movements by naming the last Friday of Ramadan “the International Quds Day”, when the Zionists committed another crime in Lebanon.
Imam Khomeini later said that the Quds Day is the day of war of the oppressed against the oppressors.
The Islamic Revolution took place in a condition that Palestine was on the verge of eternal wipeout from the world map. Muslims were frustrated and disappointed with the defeat of the Arab states in the war against the West-supported Zionist. Israel kept up with occupation of the territories of Palestine with genocide of Palestinians.
Before the Quds Day came into being, Palestine was an Islamic-Arab issue, but after that the world got focused on Israeli war crimes, Israeli systematic killing of the Palestinian children came into limelight.
Islamic Revolution Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei once said that it is courageous of the European people and some Latin American countries to protest against the Zionist regime, which shows that the non-Muslim world has not been totally defeated by the wicked forces, whose Quranic name is Satan.
The Palestinian intifada started in 1987 with throwing stones at the Israeli occupiers, which showed their disappointment with political approach of the Arab states and the groups calling for compromise with Israel.
Iranian people removed the US- and West-supported Shah and proved that the power of the US is flimsy. The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine took form in 1980 as a reflection of Islamic Revolution in Iran. They believed in Armed oppositions. Hamas later joined the club.
The intifada created a rift among the Israeli parties and also between Washington and Tel Aviv. Suppressing the Intifada came at a deadly cost for Israel.
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, like the Islamic Revolution of Iran, started from mosques. Muslims today have realized the power of public mobilization and the ineffectiveness of West-stricken intellectuals for saving Palestine.
Imam Khomeini once said that the Zionist regime is a cancerous tumor that can only be removed with the uprising of Muslims and the world’s weakened people against it. / IRNA/
Iran to publish journal on Commander Qassem Soleimani on Quds Day
Iran plans to publish a special journal on Martyr Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, which will be released in Tehran on International Quds Day.
International Quds Day, which falls on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan every year, was initiated in 1979 by the founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, to express solidarity with Palestinians who have been under the Zionist regime’s occupation for seven decades.
The one-edition journal named “The School of Haji Qassem” begins with a biography of the IRGC Quds Forces chief, who was assassinated in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad in January.
The journal draws its title from a comment by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who called Soleimani’s ideology “a school”.
A collection of the Leader’s comments on Soleimani has also been published in the journal.
It also carries a collection of articles analyzing his activities as a revolutionary during the 1979 Islamic revolution and as a commander during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, as well as in the fight against the ISIS terrorists in the region.
One of the articles reviews the key role the Sarallah Brigade played under Soleimani during the Iran-Iraq war, especially in Operation Beit-ul-Muqaddas in 1982.
His role in the victory of the Lebanese in the Israeli 33-Day War of 2006 has also been scrutinized in another article.
An article also studies his relations with Fatemiyoun, an Afghan brigade that fought against the ISIS terrorists.
Another highlight of the journal reviews his collaboration with the resistance front in the Yemen war.
The journal also carries some interviews about Soleimani with various officials, including Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Hezbollah Resistance Movement Hassan Nasrallah, former Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and Syrian Grand Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun. /T.T/
Quds Day will be marked as long as occupation and crime persist: Iran
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Monday that so long as the Palestinians lands remain under occupation and crimes against Palestinians continue the International Quds Day will be marked.
“As long as the Zionist occupation and crime exist, the International Quds Day will be commemorated,” ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi told a regular news briefing.
Mousavi also welcomed new developments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After months of political deadlock, finally the Iraqi political factions agreed on a new prime minister and the parliament voted for most of his proposed ministers.
Also, on Sunday Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah agreed on a power-sharing deal.
“There were events in Iraq and Afghanistan that helped political stability after a long time,” Mousavi said.
“As a neighbor, Iraq is very important to Iran, and it is now wrangling with the U.S. and terrorist conspiracies, and the current government is backed by Iran,” Mousavi noted.
The spokesman also expressed hope that the political agreement in Afghanistan “would be a prelude to inter-Afghan talks”.
He said Iran wants to have a stable and prosperous neighbor based on its neighborly policy. “It was important for us that this country be stable and that there were several rounds of efforts, contacts, and travels, and that the Iranian representative traveled to Kabul, and thank God, the result was good, and Iran’s role in this field is important and makes us proud.”
He added that Iran, unlike others who want to fish in muddy waters, considers Afghanistan security and stability in Afghanistan as a top priority and sees the power-sharing agreement as a prelude to inter-Afghan talks to build lasting peace in the country.
According to the power-sharing agreement, Abdullah will serve as Afghanistan’s president of the High Council for Peace and National Reconciliation.
‘Trump is disrupting world order, seeking anarchism’
On Sunday, Iran summoned the Swiss ambassador to the Foreign Ministry over possible attempts by the U.S. to block Iranians tankers carrying gasoline to Venezuela. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also wrote a letter to the UN secretary-general warning that any move against Iranian tankers will be “illegal”, “dangerous”, “provocative”, “an instance of piracy” and “threat to international peace and security”.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mousavi said, “Free trade between independent states is a legitimate matter, however, the United States President Donald Trump is disrupting world order and seeking global anarchism.”
‘We hope Americans do not do anything stupid’
Mousavi added that what the U.S. has said about Iranian oil tankers is “illegal” and warned that Washington “will face Iran’s reaction if they do anything”.
“We gave the necessary advice to the Americans through the Swiss ambassador, and Zarif’s letter to the United National secretary-general reminded the consequences of any action; we hope they do not do anything ‘stupid’ in this regard.”
He added, “Iranian ships carry fuel to Venezuela and they do business legally. If Americans don’t like it, it’s up to them. I hope the Americans don’t do ‘stupid’ things because they will definitely face Iran’s response.”
‘Iranians not involved in Hariroud incident’
Regarding a tragic incident that about 18 Afghan migrants have been drowned in a river along the border between Iran and Afghanistan, Mousavi said, he said no report has been confirmed by “our security, military, and border guards” that the migrants were drowned on the Iranian side of Hariroud River.
“It is not (yet) clear how they died,” he added.
Iran has been hosting millions of Afghan since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the civil war in the country.
Following the incident, Iran has asked Afghanistan to activate its border checkpoints with Iran.
“We welcome millions of Afghan refugees, but we want these visits to be legal. Some people take advantage of the loopholes, and it is the duty of every country to protect its borders.”
The spokesman for the Foreign Ministry added that a delegation from Afghanistan entered Iran a few days ago and held talks with Iranian border guards about the incident.
Mousavi reiterated that the incident took place neither on the Iranian soil nor by Iranian forces, announcing that a delegation from Iran may visit Afghanistan in the coming days to probe the issue.
‘U.S. just makes slogans against terrorism’
The spokesman also said the United States just chants slogans against war on terrorism, but the Islamic Republic proves war on terror “in action”.
About U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo’s remarks that Iran should leave Syria, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said from time to time Pompeo says something based on his own imagination.
Mousavi said Iran’s advisory mission in Syria is based on the Syria government’s request.
He added, “We are in Syria to help them fight terrorism, what the U.S. says in the word we do in practice.”
“Our attendance in Syria does not concern the U.S. and the Zionist regime at all,” he pointed out.
‘We are still critical of Europe’s inaction’
Asked about Europe’s stance on extending the arms embargo against Iran and recent remarks by EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell, the diplomat said, “We don’t disrupt their thinking. They have been thinking for two years.”
He was openly referring to the U.S. unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in May 2018 and reimposition of sanctions against Iran
“The situation is clear to everyone including the Europeans. We are still critical of Europe’s inaction, and we cannot count on Europe to be positive or negative.”
“We are doing our job and we hope that the Europeans will move faster,” he noted.
“At the moment, they are under the pressure of a bully and they have done nothing but talk, and any association with the bully (U.S.) will be to the detriment of the Europeans themselves.”
In response to a question about Syria, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Iran, Russia, and Turkey have their own mechanism for Syria. “There were discussions that some countries should be added to the (peace) process, but in the end, it was decided to be the same three countries. We do not deny any benevolent action, but we believe that the Astana process is working.”
Regarding the adoption of a law against the actions of the Zionist regime in the parliament, Mousavi said that Foreign Ministry diplomats “were present in the National Security Commission and the point of view of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was conveyed to them. Certainly, the Foreign Ministry will enforce it if it becomes law. The fate of the Palestinian people and the Holy Quds has always been a priority for the Foreign Ministry.”
The parliamentary committee has tasked the Foreign Ministry to raise the issue of referendum in the occupied Palestinian territories at the United Nations with the participation of all native inhabitants including Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
On the news that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had asked Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh, the spokesman said, “Obviously we didn’t get anything, but what we heard was media reports that he wanted the situation to be a little better between Iran and Saudi Arabia.”
However, he said, Iran has previously stated that it is ready to discuss and resolve misunderstandings with Saudi Arabia through a mediator or without a mediator.
“The region needs to move in this direction, and if they go in that direction and decide, Iran’s arms will be open.”
‘NO country in a position to decide for Syrian people’
Regarding news of a decision by Iran and Russia on the future of the Syrian government, the spokesman said, “Our relations with Syria are very close, friendly and strategic, and we and others are not in a position to decide for the Syrian people. Neither we nor Russia have pursued such a goal.”
Elsewhere the spokesman also said the United States must allow the Swiss banking channel, known as SHTA, to be active and “our resources to enter this channel from different places. We reserve the right to use these resources.”
Mousavi added he does not “know if the South Korean government has been able to get a permit from the United States. The money of the Iranian nation is in South Korea, and excuses such as sanctions and U.S. obstruction are not acceptable to us, and we want our money to enter the country.” / t.t/
Paintings, cartoons on Iranian, Palestinian resistance on view at Tehran exhibit
An exhibition of paintings and cartoons representing the resistance of Iran and Palestine opened on Monday at the Palestine Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran.
The showcase titled “Manifestation of Resistance” has been organized by the Revolution and Sacred Defense Visual Arts Association to observe International Quds Day and the liberation of Khorramshahr.
A collection of 32 cartoons on Quds Day and a selection of 29 paintings with the central theme of the liberation of Khorramshahr are on view at the exhibit, the association announced on Monday.
The exhibit is open to the public and visitors must observe health protocols.
Moreover, the works are on display in a virtual exhibit available on the website of the museum.
International Quds Day was initiated by the founder of the Islamic Republic Imam Khomeini in 1979 to express solidarity with Palestinians and oppose the Zionist regime.
The day is observed by rallies around the world on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Rallies are held each year in various cities around the world by both Muslims and non-Muslim communities.
This year Quds Day will be held in Tehran by marching cars under the watch of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to combat coronavirus pandemic. People can attend Quds Day rallies by riding their cars.
May 24 is the day which marks the liberation of Khorramshahr in 1982, after the city was captured by Iraqi forces on October 26, 1980.
The exhibit will be running until May 28 at the museum located at 74 Mozaffar St., Taleqani Ave., Felestin Sq. / T.T/
Ayatollah Khamenei to deliver speech on Quds Day
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will deliver a speech on Friday on the occasion of Quds Day.
The Leader’s speech will be aired live on local and international radio and television channels, Nosratollah Lotfi, the deputy chief of the Islamic Development Coordination Council, said on Sunday.
In order to make the most of Ayatollah Khamenei’s speech, no other event will be held in any part of the country in the name of Quds Day plans, he added.
International Quds Day was initiated by the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979 to express solidarity with Palestinians and oppose the Zionist regime.
Quds Day is held at the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan.
However, this year rallies in Iran will be held in a different form due to the coronavirus pandemic as it is necessary to observe social distancing.
Rallies are held each year in various cities around the world by both Muslims and non-Muslim communities. Many Jewish people also attend the rallies in order to draw a line between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism.
President Hassan Rouhani announced on Saturday that Quds Day will be held in Tehran by marching cars under the watch of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps. / T.T/
18 Countries to Attend Quds Int’l Congress
An international congress featuring the holy city of Quds (Jerusalem) will be held on May 17-18.
Ayatollah Ali Reza Aarafi, the president of the congress, said in a press conference on Saturday that it will be organized online due to the coronavirus concerns.
He added that thinkers, scholars and political figures from 18 countries will deliver speeches at the international event.
Describing Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque as the symbols of Islam and Islamic civilization, he stressed that defending Quds is upon all Muslims and is linked with the national interests of all Islamic nations.
The cleric also noted that International Quds Day ceremonies will be held in Iran and other countries while observing the health protocols.
He said that based on a decision made by the National Headquarters to Fight the Coronavirus in Iran, the ceremonies in cities where the coronavirus threat level is still high, like in Tehran, people will hold rallies in cars.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Aarafi slammed certain regional countries who have supported the so-called deal of century plan proposed by the US, stressing that the US plot is doomed to failure.
The International Quds Day is a legacy of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, who designated the day in solidarity with Palestinians.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the International Quds Day has been held worldwide on the last Friday of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
This year, the International Quds Day falls on Friday, May 22.
/ Iqna/