(Image credit: X/@@alilarijani_ir)
Tehran, March 13 (IANS) Several top Iranian politicians and officials, including country's President Masoud Pezeshkian, attended an International Quds Day rally in Tehran on Friday, marking their most high-profile public appearance since the joint US-Israel airstrikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials on February 28.
Videos shared by local media showed Pezeshkian greeting people on the streets of Tehran and even stopping to take pictures with them during the rally.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi; Advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Mohammad Mokhber; Iran's police chief, Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Radan; Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani; and, Head of Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran Mohammad Eslami were among several top officials who participated in the rally, Iran's official news agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
People of Iran flooded the streets despite ongoing airstrikes by the US and Israeli forces, Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported. The authorities have not yet revealed the number of casualties from these airstrikes.
Amid the ongoing conflict, Iran has laid down three key conditions for ending the conflict, including recognition of its rights and compensation for the damage caused during the war.
On March 11, Pezeshkian said Tehran remains committed to peace but asserted that the conflict can only end if its demands are accepted by Washington and Tel Aviv.
In a statement posted on social media, Pezeshkian said that Iran’s position on ending the war was clear.
“The only way to end this war -- ignited by the Zionist regime and the US -- is recognising Iran’s legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression,” Pezeshkian said.
Tehran has maintained that the conflict began after attacks by the United States and Israel and has insisted that it will not agree to a ceasefire without concrete assurances regarding its security and rights.
