Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has pledged the Islamic Republic’s unwavering support for the Palestinian nation.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has pledged the Islamic Republic’s unwavering support for the Palestinian nation.

Rouhani made the remark in a meeting with Ramadan Abdullah Shalah, the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Thursday.

Describing Palestine as the “symbol of resistance” against aggressors, Rouhani said the issue of Palestine "is of significance to us", adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran will continue to stand by the Palestinian nation and resistance.

“Enemies and big powers imagined that the Palestinian issue will slip into oblivion and that they can determine the future of the nation in any way they want, but today the Palestinian nation, through its resistance, has managed to achieve a big victory against their willpower,” the Iranian president added.

Rouhani noted that the enemy wants the Palestinian issue to be completely forgotten so that it can go on with its scheme to spread terrorism and terrorist groups in the region.

Fortunately, enemy has failed in its efforts to achieve that goal thanks to the strong resistance of the Palestinian nation and groups, he added.    

The Iranian president stressed that the public opinion in the Muslim world needs to understand that Palestine is the number one issue in the Muslim world.

For his part, Abdullah extended his gratitude to the Islamic Republic for its firm support for Palestine.

Today, the Palestinian youths have initiated a new Intifada (uprising) to support and defend the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) and are strongly resisting Israel’s crackdown, he said.

Abdullah noted that the United States and the Israeli regime are encouraging terrorism in the region to counter the Palestinian resistance.

The occupied territories have been the scene of heightened tensions since August 2015, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina.

The Palestinians say the Tel Aviv regime seeks to change the status quo of the holy Muslim site.

More than 210 Palestinians, including children and women, have lost their lives at the hands of Israeli forces since the beginning of last October.