Rallies Staged Across Iran to Show Support for Palestinians

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 14, 2001

Rallies Staged Across Iran to Show Support for Palestinians

Tens of thousands of Iranians from all walks of life on Friday joined rallies staged across the country to show their support to the Palestinian people who are suffering from Israel's military raids.

Tens of thousands of Iranians from all walks of life on Friday joined rallies staged across the country to show their support to the Palestinian people who are suffering from Israel's military raids.

With President Mohammad Khatami in the lead, residents in Tehran joined students, religious minorities, members of the parliament, state officials and military personnel in rallies, staged in different main squares and the Tehran University in the center of the Capital, a venue for Friday prayers.

Chanting slogans saying "death to Israel," "Zionist terrorism is condemned" and "Palestine is an essential part of Islam," the demonstrators expressed their solidarity for the Palestinians and called for the restoration of their legitimate rights.

The rallies, called by the authorities to mark this year's world Qods (Jerusalem) day and offer Iran's support for the Palestinian struggle, are to end with a resolution on the ongoing Palestinian crisis before heading for congregational weekly Friday prayers.

In 1979, late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Musavi Khomeini designated the last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan as the world Qods day and called on the Muslims worldwide to stage rallies to voice support for the liberation of holy Qods from Israeli occupation.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed since the start of the Palestinian uprising against Israeli aggressions in September 2000.

The situation in the occupied Palestinian territories has been raging in the recent weeks as the Israeli army launched several rounds of air strikes on Palestinian targets to avenge a wave of Palestinian suicide bombing attacks.

Iran, which does not recognize Israel, firmly supports the Palestinians' struggle for regaining their legitimate rights.

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