Explosions near Tehran al-Quds Day march in solidarity with Palestinians 

Sounds of multiple explosions have been heard during the al-Quds Day march in the Iranian capital, where thousands were taking part in annual rallies held in solidarity with Palestinians, as United States-Israeli attacks across the nation continued for a 14th day of war.

A large midday explosion on Friday rocked a Tehran square filled with demonstrators who were there for the annual event, Iranian state television reported.

The cause of the blast in Ferdowsi Square was not immediately known, but it came shortly after Israel had threatened people to clear the area because it planned a strike. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera Arabic reported an air strike metres away from a gathering of protesters in Tehran. It was not clear where exactly the attack took place or whether it led to any casualties.

Crowds turned out in Tehran and other cities, despite ongoing US and Israeli strikes in the region during the commemoration, state media reported.

Al-Quds Day (or, simply, “Quds Day”) is an annual, international day to express support for Palestine and oppose the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

The minister of roads, as well as the minister for sports and youth, were also seen among those demonstrating, Tasnim news agency reported.

Demonstrators on Friday chanted “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” while carrying Iranian flags and images of Palestinian fighters, voicing support for groups battling the US and Israel.

Our Al Jazeera Arabic colleagues in Tehran saw demonstrators raising banners bearing political and religious slogans expressing solidarity with Jerusalem and the Palestinian people.

Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said while the event was meant “to express solidarity” with the Palestinian people, it was also a moment to express their anger at the ongoing attacks in the country.

“It is a twofold message … Emotions are running high among the people who are joining this demonstration as the country is seeing attacks from the Americans and Israelis,” he said.

“Over the past nine months, this is the second time that the country is being attacked by the Israelis. This time … we are dealing with an ongoing war, the scope of which is unprecedented, not comparable at all with the previous war.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called on the population to participate despite the war. On Thursday, he posted on X urging his fellow Iranians to “disappoint Iran’s enemies by taking to the streets in greater numbers than ever before”.

Iran has marked al-Quds Day on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan since its 1979 Islamic Revolution, after the occasion was declared by the republic’s founder and first Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.