Millions rally in Iran for Quds Day
Nationwide marches condemn U.S. Israeli strikes
Millions of Iranians marched across more than 900 cities, towns and villages for International Quds Day to express solidarity with Palestinians and condemn U.S. and Israeli actions. Major rallies in Tehran, including gatherings at the University of Tehran and Enqelab Square, featured chants of “God is Great,” Qur’an recitations, speeches, and widespread displays of Iranian and Palestinian flags. Many participants carried images of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei and signed petitions expressing loyalty; political leaders urged mass turnout as a show of unity and defiance.
This year’s rallies took place amid sustained U.S.-Israeli strikes that Iran says have killed over 1,300 people and wounded more than 10,000, including many women, children and students. Protesters condemned attacks on schools, hospitals and historical sites and framed Quds Day as both protest and national resistance.
Despite adverse weather, turnout was unusually high and cross‑communal, bringing together Shia, Sunni and ethnic minorities. Organizers portrayed the demonstrations as a rebuke to foreign aggression and a display of domestic cohesion, while international observers continue to monitor the broader regional crisis and its humanitarian and geopolitical consequences.
