Iran FM condemns killing of Palestinians

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi decried Israeli soldiers' shooting Palestinian ralliers in Lebanon, the West Bank and occupied Golan, dismissing the move as a violation of international norms and regulations, reported Iran's Foreign Ministry. 

The top Iranian diplomat also called on international circles to deal with Israeli crimes as soon as possible. 

He underlined Palestinians' right of return to their homeland, and added the recent demonstrations were inspired by a wave of Islamic awakening in the region. 

The only way to tackle Tel Aviv's repressive policies, Salehi said, is through massive popular resistance. 

He further reiterated Tehran's support for the Palestinian demonstrators who poured into the streets to mark the anniversary of Palestine's occupation, and said the move is the sign of a bright future where the demands of the Arab-Islamic community will be fulfilled. 

Palestinians refer to March 15, 1948, as Nakba Day (Day of the catastrophe) marking the Israeli occupation of Palestine. 

An estimated 700,000 Palestinians were displaced as a result of the Israeli occupation. Hundreds of Palestinian villages were also depopulated and destroyed. 

Since then, the vast majority of Palestinian refugees have been prohibited by Israel from returning to their homeland and reclaiming their property. 

They number several million people today, spread across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 

At least a quarter of a million Palestinians have also been displaced internally.