Senior Iranian, Palestinian figures, Pro-Palestinian NGOs hold meeting before International Quds Day

Qodsna (Tehran) - A meeting was held on Saturday with the attendance of pro-Palestinian NGOs in Tehran to coordinate their activities on the anniversary of International Quds Day, which annually holds on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Senior Iranian pro-Palestinian figures, as well as the representative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in Tehran, were present and gave a speech at the meeting.

Senior Iranian pro-Palestinian activist, Meisam Amroudi said during his speech that “Pro-Palestinian activists have gathered here to synergize their intended programs for International Quds Day.”

Referring to the importance of International Quds Day, Amroudi added that because of the ongoing Covid pandemic most of our programs will be held virtually.

Ahmad Soroush Nejad, Executive Director of the International Union of NGOs for the Freedom of the Palestinian People, Hossein Akbari,  Head of the World Assembly of Islamic Awakening Studies Center, Abolqasem Rahimian Secretary-General of the International Union of Youth and Youngsters against the Occupation, Naser Abu Sharif, representative of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement in Tehran, Ayatollah Mohammad Hassan Akhtari, advisor to the President and Chairman of the Committee for the Support of the Islamic Revolution of the Palestinian People and Mehdi Shakibaei, Deputy Secretary-General of the Society for the Defense of the Palestinian Nation (SDPN) were among attendees of the meeting.

Rahimian noted that the International Union of Youth and Youngsters against the Occupation will hold a webinar with the title of “Al-Quds is closer”, saying that a photo exhibition will be held by the union.

During the meeting, Naser Abu Sharif also said that “International Quds Day is a strategy and a resistance line across the world, which has given fruits after 40 years of resistance.”

“Palestine is not countering the Zionist regime only, but it is the global arrogance that helps Israel in front of Palestine. However, the Palestinian nation has maintained its strength towards Zionists. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement is a part of the resistance axis, and it has been able to create a balance of power against Israel. We are planning practical measures to liberation Palestine,” the senior Palestinian figure said.

Shakibaei, as the representative of SDPN, presented a report about the previous events that were held with the help of 13 different NGOs in Iran, saying that “we have to use the online platform this year; however, it gives us unique opportunity to exhibit new arts and to present works to support Palestinian people, including documentary clips, virtual exhibitions, and meetings, working on Twitter and having a communication channel between Gaza and Tehran mosques.”

Ayatollah Mohammad Hassan Akhtari stressed the necessity of unified actions by NGOs that support Palestine in other countries.

“All of the supportive measures that are going to be held are valuable. I have called on relevant ministries to hold pro-Palestinian events on International Quds Day. We should express our united voice against the atrocities and crimes of Israel,” he added.

“With the help of Palestinians in other countries, we should unite pro-Palestinian centers and NGOs to synergize our force against the Zionist regime,” Akhtari stressed.

Millions of people worldwide take to the streets yearly in events marking the International Al-Quds Day, in solidarity with Palestinian people.

The last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, as it has been a tradition since a historical decree by the founder of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, see activists express their solidarity with the people of Palestine in unique ways.