بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم The last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan was named "International Quds Day" at the initiative of the Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the late Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified). This day symbolizes the unified protest of the Islamic world and global freedom-seekers against the usurpation of the historical land of Palestine and the establishment of a spurious, occupier, terrorist, and racist entity at the heart of the Islamic world and the West Asia region.   Quds Day is a symbol of the inherent moral opposition of the world's people to the violation of a nation's right to self-determination and a sign of the awakening of human conscience against organized oppression and injustice against fellow human beings.   Benefiting from the full support of the United States, Britain, Germany, and some other countries, and in the absence of practical action by the United Nations and the international community to prosecute and punish the ruling clique of the Zionist regime, this regime has committed the most heinous crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory. The perpetration of horrific genocide in Gaza over the past two and a half years, alongside the killing and torture of Palestinians in the West Bank, is the latest instance of the colonial policy of eradicating Palestine, a policy pursued since the establishment of this regime in 1948.   Simultaneously with the systematic slaughter of Palestinians and their forced displacement from their ancestral homeland, the Israeli regime, using its affiliated media network, has launched a diabolical media campaign to spread lies and distort realities. Its goal is to swap the roles of executioner and victim and to whitewash its own crimes and those of its supporters.   This year, we commemorate Quds Day while the Iranian nation is defending Iran's sovereignty, national dignity, and territorial integrity against the brutal military aggression of the Israeli regime and the United States. The military aggression of the Israeli regime and the United States against Iran is a clear sign of the savage, anti-human, and expansionist nature of a regime that, in just the last three years, in addition to killing approximately 75,000 innocent people in occupied Palestine, has attacked 7 Islamic countries and committed thousands of terrorist acts in various nations. The aggressive attack by the Israeli regime and the United States against Iran is an attack against the entire region and the Islamic world, aimed at advancing the diabolical illusion of "Greater Israel." This dream will undoubtedly not come true thanks to the epic defense, resilience, and steadfastness of the Iranian people. However, this does not negate the historical responsibility of all Muslim nations and freedom-seekers worldwide to confront the dangerous and satanic conspiracy of the Israeli regime.   The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while emphasizing the continuation of Iran's principled policy of supporting the legitimate struggles of the Palestinian people to realize their right to self-determination and liberation from the yoke of occupation, apartheid, and colonialism of the Israeli regime, reminds all countries of their moral and legal duty, in accordance with the fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter, to support the Palestinian people on their path to realizing this fundamental right and establishing an independent Palestinian state with holy Quds as its capital in all of the historical land of Palestine.   On the eve of Quds Day, we honor the memory of all the martyrs of the Resistance who have sacrificed their lives on various fronts – including in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, and other parts of the world – in the struggle against the occupation, oppression, villainy, and terrorism of the Israeli regime. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran sends its greetings to the lofty soul of the martyred and insightful leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Ayatollah al-Uzma Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei (QS), the Master of Martyrs of the Resistance, and his faithful companions who were martyred during the attack by the American-Zionist henchmen. It affirms its covenant and pledge to preserve his great legacy in defending truth, justice, and freedom.   Undoubtedly, the conscious and enthusiastic participation of the Iranian people in commemorating International Quds Day this year will not only be a renewal of allegiance to the lofty ideals of our departed Imam and our martyred leader, His Eminence Ayatollah al-Uzma Khamenei (may their souls be sanctified), but also the resounding cry of the Iranian nation expressing its hatred for the brutal aggression and heinous crimes of the Israeli regime and the United States against our beloved homeland.   Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran March 12, 2026 (22 Ramadan 1447 AH)