At least one woman was killed following an explosion during a mass march in the Iranian capital on Friday, as the nation marked International Quds Day amid heightened regional tensions and military warnings from Israel.
Iran's official news agency IRNA reported that the victim died during the annual event, which expresses support for Palestinians and condemns Israeli actions. In a social media post, IRNA attributed the death to "the bombing of Tehran" by Israel and the United States.
On Friday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an urgent evacuation warning via its Persian-language social media accounts, urging residents in three designated areas of Tehran and Qazvin Province to leave immediately ahead of planned military operations.
Footage from the scene confirmed that an explosion took place near one of the designated rally sites in Tehran. Despite the blast and the imminent threat of further strikes, crowds of demonstrators refused to disperse. Instead, participants continued to wave Iranian flags and chant anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans.
Explosions occur near mass march in Tehran
The United States and Israel have committed the gravest crimes against humanity in Iran over a period of more than 40 days, said Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday.
Araghchi made the remark in a meeting with Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who led a delegation to visit Tehran on the day.
Araghchi said at the meeting that the military aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel violates the principles of the UN Charter.
The crimes committed by the U.S. and Israel against the Iranian people - particularly attacks on the country's educational facilities, scientific research centers, historical and cultural sites, hospitals, critical productive infrastructure and residential areas - constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law, he said.
These include attacks on an elementary school in Minab in southern Iran, massacre of Iranian children, and the assassination of Iranian leaders, said Araghchi.
Over a period of more than 40 days, the U.S. and Israel have committed the gravest crimes against humanity, he said.
Araghchi called on the international community and relevant international institutions to unequivocally and resolutely condemn the war crimes committed by the U.S. and Israel, and to hand over those responsible for trial and punishment by their home states and international tribunals.
He said that Iran expects the ICRC, other humanitarian organizations and governments of countries around the world to fulfill their legal and moral obligations under international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.
Spoljaric expressed deep regret at the meeting over the casualties among Iranian civilians in the conflict and the attacks by the U. S. and Israel on Iranian civilian targets, especially schools, hospitals and residential areas.
She emphasized the necessity to protect civilians and critical infrastructure and uphold international humanitarian rights in armed conflicts.
Spoljaric said that the recent threats by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, including those to Iranian civilian infrastructure, can be regarded as war crimes.
US, Israel commit gravest crimes against humanity in Iran: Araghchi
