Tehran, Iran, Sept. 1
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that his country will do all in its power to "liberate the Al-Aqsa Mosque from Israeli occupation."
"As in the past, the Iranian government will use all its capabilities to save the al-Aqsa Mosque and liberate the first Qibla of Muslims," he said, IRNA News Agency reported on September 1.
Al-Aqsa is the one of the holiest sites in Islam and is located in the Old City of Jerusalem. Qibla is the direction that a Muslim should face during his prayers.
"The Muslim world will not allow the Al-Aqsa Mosque to remain under the Israeli occupation," Rouhani noted.
"Iran will spare no effort to help the oppressed people of Palestine. We are certain that the ultimate victory belongs to Muslims," he added.
He further condemned the extremist groups that kill women and children in the name of Islam, and called them "ignorant mercenaries".
President Rouhani made the comments at a conference on World Mosque Day in Tehran, which opened on Sept. 1.
Palestinian Ambassador to Tehran Salah Zawawi and representatives from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pakistan, Qatar, UAE, Syria and Tunisia embassies in Iran attended the conference.