President: Iran to Commemorate Int’l Quds Day amid Coronavirus Epidemic

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani underlined the importance of the International Quds Day, saying that people in several cities in Iran which face lower risks of coronavirus epidemic will come out to mark the day.

“Two decisions have been made for the Quds Day; first is that Quds Day will be held in 218 cities which are white cities (considering the low risk of coronavirus epidemic) not in the form of rallies but by presence in the Friday prayers (and of course) by respecting all hygiene protocols,” President Rouhani said, addressing a meeting of the National Coronavirus Campaign Headquarters on Saturday.

He added that the International Quds Day rallies will be held in Tehran symbolically.

“It was decided that the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) be tasked with holding the rallies,” Rouhani said, explaining that the rallies in Tehran will come in the form of a car-driving rally in a  symbolic move and without ordinary people’s presence.

Earlier this month, an official with the Coordination Council of Islamic Propagation Organization said Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei will deliver a speech on the occasion of the International Quds Day corresponding with May 22.

Brigadier General Ramezan Sharif announced the likelihood of canceling this year’s International Quds Day rallies in Tehran due to the coronavirus outbreak, noting that Ayatollah Khamenei will deliver a live speech on the occasion.

He said because of the problems caused by the COVID-19 disease, the Council has been reviewing different options to commemorate this year’s International Quds Day.

“The cyberspace and social media are among the options that could be used properly for glorifying the event,” he added.

General Sharif said the final decisions will be announced later.

Last year on May 31, participants at rallies of the International Quds Day in Tehran in their final communique re-voiced their all-out support for the “oppressed people of Palestine” till the final liberation of the occupied territories from “Zionist occupiers”.

The International Quds Day is an annual event opposing Israel’s occupation of Beitul-Muqaddas. Anti-Zionist rallies and demonstrations are held on the last Friday of Ramadan in Muslim and Arab countries around the world, specially in Iran, as well as a large number of non-Muslim states.

The International Quds Day was started by the late Founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, in 1979 as a way of expressing solidarity with the Palestinians and underscoring importance of the holy Quds to Muslims.