Baku, Azerbaijan, July 25
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iranian Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif demanded Egypt permit Iran to send humanitarian aids for Gaza residents.
Zarif said that an Iranian plane carrying humanitarian aid is waiting for an Egyptian flight permit, Iran's Mehr news agency reported on July 25.
The Iranian top diplomat made the remarks during the Quds Day rallies in Tehran. Senior Iranian officials including President Hassan Rouhani also participated in the rallies to express support for Palestinians.
Back in 1979, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan was designated by the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini, as Quds Day.
Zarif expressed hope that Egypt will issue the permit for Iran to send a medical aid consignment as soon as possible. He also underlined that the plane if permitted to flight to Egypt, will transfer a number of the injured Palestinians to Iran for treatment.
In a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shokri last week, Zarif, expressed deep concern over the situation in Gaza, and called on Cairo to open the Rafah crossing for humanitarian aids.
Since July 7, Israel has attacked the Palestinian coastal territory with fierce air and naval bombardments with the stated aim of halting Palestinian rocket fire.
More than 800 Palestinians including women and children were killed so far during the operation dubbed 'Enduring Rock.' It is reported that the Israeli army lost 45 servicemen during the hostilities.
Earlier, the UN's top human rights official, Navi Pillay, condemned Israel's military actions in Gaza. She also condemned Islamic militant group, Hamas for "indiscriminate attacks" on Israel.