Iran Calls for Global Stand Against Occupation, Apartheid, Forced Displacement on Quds Day

In an article published in Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, he emphasized that Quds Day is a global occasion to reject occupation, apartheid, and the forced displacement of Palestinians.

In his article, Araqchi reaffirmed Iran’s unwavering commitment to justice and the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. He stated that for decades, Palestinians have suffered under Israel’s brutal occupation, apartheid policies, and systematic ethnic cleansing.

The minister described Quds Day as a lasting legacy of Imam Khomeini, calling it a demonstration of the soft power of Islam and the visionary leadership of the late Iranian leader. He noted that while various societies and political systems have numerous aspirations, ideas that remain unaccepted or unimplemented fail to drive meaningful change. Quds Day, he emphasized, is an example of an idea that has evolved into an active program embraced by Muslim and non-Muslim communities worldwide.

Araqchi stressed that merely organizing protests or expressing sympathy for Palestinians is no longer enough. He urged the international community to utilize the growing global recognition of Quds Day to push for legal, economic, and diplomatic actions against Israel’s criminal actions. He cited the December 2023 case brought by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as a significant step, highlighting that many non-Muslim nations supported the initiative. He called for continued, strengthened efforts until the occupation ends.

The foreign minister called for a clear and global rejection of three key Israeli policies: occupation, apartheid, and the erasure of Palestine.

Rejecting Occupation

Araqchi pointed out that for over eight decades, historic Palestine has been subjected to continuous annexation, leaving only seven percent of its original land intact. He underscored that Israel’s brutal occupation violates numerous international resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolutions 338, 476, and 2334. He added that Israeli settlements constitute a clear breach of the Geneva Conventions and that the ICJ has ruled the construction of separation walls as illegal.

"What the international community must do today is to firmly and comprehensively say 'no' to this occupation," he said, urging the global community to take decisive action beyond symbolic gestures in support of Palestinian freedom.

Rejecting Apartheid

The foreign minister asserted that apartheid is recognized as a crime against humanity under international law. He referenced the 1973 International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which categorizes apartheid as a prosecutable crime. He also cited UN resolutions, including Resolution 1761, which condemned apartheid in South Africa and led to international sanctions.

Araqchi highlighted a 2022 UN Human Rights Council report, as well as assessments by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which classified Israel’s policies as a form of apartheid. He criticized Israel’s backers for continuing to ignore this reality despite extensive international documentation.

Rejecting Forced Displacement

Forced displacement, Araqchi emphasized, constitutes both a war crime and a crime against humanity. He pointed to Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute, both of which classify forced population transfers as illegal. He noted that the 1948 Genocide Convention explicitly considers forced displacement aimed at destroying an ethnic or religious group as an act of genocide.

He referenced past UN resolutions, such as Resolution 47/1993 on Bosnia, which condemned ethnic cleansing, arguing that similar standards should be applied to Israel’s criminal actions.

The Iranian official urged Arab states to recognize that resistance extends beyond Palestine and Lebanon, serving as a broader deterrent against Israeli and Western ambitions in the region. He warned that weakening resistance efforts would leave the entire Arab world vulnerable to further Israeli aggression.

Global Action Against Israeli Policies

Araqchi outlined specific steps for the international community to counter Israeli policies and support Palestinian rights:

Upholding the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and opposing occupation and apartheid.

Taking action to stop the ongoing genocide in Gaza and resisting the forced displacement of Palestinians.

Halting direct and indirect collaboration in Israel’s crimes, including ending arms sales, economic ties, and diplomatic support that sustain occupation and apartheid.

Pursuing legal action against Israeli leaders at the ICC and ICJ to ensure accountability under international law.

Concluding his article, Araqchi declared that the liberation of Palestine is not an unattainable dream. He stated that no apartheid system, military occupation, or colonial project can endure indefinitely. The global demonstrations in support of Palestine, he argued, prove that the struggle for justice is alive and unstoppable, driven by a collective moral conscience that will not rest until this humanitarian and ethical goal is achieved.