Iranians in large numbers held rallies across the country on Friday to mark the annual day of solidarity with the Palestinians.
Chanting "Death to Israel" and burning the Israeli flag, people from different walks of life condemned the occupation of Palestinian territories.
Demonstrators chanted anti-American slogans to protest the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Beit-ul-Moqaddas (Jerusalem), which last year was officially recognized by Washington as Israel's capital.
International Quds Day—which is marked on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan—was initiated by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Similar rallies were held by pro-Palestine demonstrators in other countries.
Israeli Crimes
On Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani issued a statement on his official website calling on Iranians to attend the rallies.
"This year we are witnessing more tyranny and crime against the oppressed people of Palestine, especially the residents of Gaza," the president said, referring to the recent death of dozens of Palestinians by Israeli security forces during weeks-long protests in the besieged Gaza Strip near the border fence with Israel.
Israel's use of force in seeking to squelch protests at the border with Gaza generated a global outcry.
Iranophobia Campaign
Rouhani also condemned Israel's propaganda campaign against the Islamic Republic, saying, "In recent months, we have witnessed more tours by the leaders of the Zionist regime with the aim of spreading Iranophobia and attempts against the interests of the Iranian nation."
Israel has strongly backed US President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a 2015 international nuclear deal with Iran. Washington has reimposed sanctions on Tehran and demanded it make sweeping changes from eliminating the nuclear program to altering its regional policies.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week wrapped up a European tour aimed at drumming up support against Iran and persuading leaders in Germany, France and Britain to dump the nuclear accord.
A number of high-ranking Iranian officials, including the first vice president, the parliament speaker, and the judiciary chief, attended the rally in Tehran, which culminated in the weekly Friday prayers.
The Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani reiterated Iran's support for the oppressed Palestinians, saying that Israel is seeking to deflect attention away from its atrocities by presenting Tehran's nuclear program, which is solely peaceful in nature, as a threat to the world.
The achievements of resistance forces in the region have added to Israel's concerns about its security, ISNA quoted him as saying.
Larijani warned that attempts by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia to ramp up pressure on Iran could backfire.
"The triangle of evil -- the US, Israel and Saudi Arabia -- aims to force Iran into a corner," Larijani said, adding that their efforts to corner Iran could "undermine their own security".
