Iranians hold mass rallies to mark Quds Day amid U.S.-Israeli attacks

People across Iran took to the streets on Friday to mark International Quds Day, an annual event expressing support for Palestinians and condemnation of Israeli actions.

Several high-ranking Iranian officials also took part in the rallies in Tehran, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani, Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei as well as cabinet ministers, such as Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.

The event, established by Iran in 1979, is observed on the final Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan. This year, it fell on March 13 and amid the ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.

In the capital, people marched from 10 different locations towards the iconic Enghelab Square in central Tehran, while waving Iran's flags and holding pictures of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei.

The marchers condemned the "crimes" committed by the United States and Israel, voiced their support for the Iranian armed forces, and pledged allegiance to the new supreme leader.

According to the official news agency IRNA, Tehran's central areas near the rally path came under U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in the early minutes of the gathering, killing at least one person. Addressing reporters after the strikes, Larijani said the attacks are "out of fear and desperation."

Araghchi said despite the attacks today, millions of people have taken part in the rallies across Iran, which shows "the Iranians' firm determination and will in supporting" the country.

On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians. Iran responded by launching waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the Middle East.

Iran's Assembly of Experts on Sunday announced the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader.

Iranians hold mass rallies to mark Quds Day amid U.S.-Israeli attacks

China's four global initiatives have moved beyond abstract concepts to deliver solid impacts and tangible benefits to countries around the world, China's permanent representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Fu pushed back against claims that the initiatives are empty concepts designed only to serve China's own interests, offering concrete examples of their implementation.

"Let's take the Global Development Initiative for an example. As we say, we have mobilized 23 billion U.S. dollars in funding, and then we have funded 1,800 projects in over 100 countries. These are concrete products. And actually, I myself have witnessed some of the very successful products like the Juncao. It's quite famous. Juncao is a Chinese term, but actually it's quite famous in the UN already. And I saw with my own eyes how these, what we call the small and beautiful projects, how they are doing in the Global South countries, the countries I visited, Tanzania and Rwanda. They are very much welcomed," he said.

Fu concluded that the initiatives represent China's unique contribution to addressing shared problems and global challenges.

"The four global initiatives are not for China alone. It is global in nature. That is, as we often say, the Chinese solution to the world's problems," he said.

China's global initiatives deliver tangible results in over 100 countries: Chinese envoy