President Hassan Rouhani said supporting the Palestinian cause against the Israeli regime will remain high on the Iranian government's agenda. Speaking in a meeting with Secretary-General of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Ramadan Abdullah Shalah in Tehran on Thursday, Rouhani described Palestine as a "symbol of resistance" that could impose its will on the aggressors.
"The resistance of the oppressed Palestinians conveyed a message to the world that no aggressor can reap permanent gains through occupation," IRNA reported Rouhani as saying. On the steps to fully defeat the Israeli regime, the president underlined the need for countering divisive plots of the Zionists and promoting unity among Palestinian groups, praising PIJ's efforts along this path. The president said although enemies are helping spread terrorism across the Middle East to cover their crimes against Palestine, the world should become aware of the Zionists' atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
"Aggressions of the Zionist regime should remain in the minds of the people of the world," he said.
Rouhani said Muslim states should understand that Palestine, which is facing the most important problem of the Muslim world, is their frontline against the expansionist Zionist regime.
"Their [Muslim states'] security depends on the existence of the [Lebanese resistance movement] Hezbollah and Palestinian groups," he said.
Shalah said that despite living under inhumane conditions, the Palestinians in Gaza and other areas are "steadfastly" resisting against the Israeli oppression.
"Today, the Palestinian youth have started a new intifada [uprising] in support of the Al-Quds [Jerusalem] and are withstanding total suppression of the Zionists," he said.
The occupied territories have been the scene of heightened tensions with Israel since August 2015, which has been regarded as the third Palestinian intifada. Hundreds of Palestinians have lost their lives at the hands of the Israeli forces since the beginning of the uprising. During his stay in Tehran, Shalah also met the Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan, Chairman of the Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani.
