Iranian lawmakers denounced Gaza tragedy

Iranian lawmakers marched towards Palestine Square downtown Tehran Thursday to protest against the recent Zionist regime's siege of Gaza. Qodsna interviewed some of the lawmakers on their motivations for the drive and their views over the recent Palestinian developments.

Mahmoud Mohammadi, a senior lawmaker in the Iranian parliamentary political commission described the aim of their march as a declaration of disgust against the Zionist regime's crimes and inhumanity while expressing support to the Palestinian people.

Mohammadi believed that the recent crimes of the Zionist regime were the result of the Annapolis meeting and strongly berated some Arab countries for attending the Annapolis meeting.

"We hope this would become an experience for the Arab and Islamic countries to impose pressure against the Zionist regime based on the principals of the Arab league, the Organization of Islamic conference (OIC) and the Unites Nations (UN)," the lawmaker said.

He urged the world of Islam to take practical actions to counter the Zionist regime's racism and destroy it like the Apartheid regime.

Emad Afrooq, head of the cultural commission of the Majlis (parliament), as another interviewee warned against some US plans to change the Middle East map, saying that the Zionist regime after its desperate defeat against the Islamic Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah is scrambling in this regard.

"There is a close relationship between Zionism and U.S. and in fact America is the sponsor of Zionist regime," he added.

Naser Sudani, deputy chairman of the Majlis Energy Committee, in his capacity as a lawmaker, urged Arab countries to break their silence regarding the Zionist regime's aggressions.

Sudani also denounced the western news imperialism, deploring that the western media have presented the defenseless Palestinians as terrorists while they present the Zionist occupiers as supporters of human right.

Sudani strongly condemns the silence of Arab countries against the Zionist regime's crimes.

Mohammad Shahi-Arabloo, head of the Economic Commission of the parliament, believed that the Gaza massacre was carried out with the support of Washington.

"Today silence against the Zionist regime is not acceptable," he said.

Kazem Jalali Rapporteur of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission for his part urged the Islamic governments to be serious regarding the Gaza situation and adopt firmer actions than just statement issuance.

He recalled that the International Parliament Union (IPU) Conference would be held next week in Egypt, expressing hope that the members of the union would reach a fair and vigorous decision in this meeting.

He urged for the application of any tools at hand of the Islamic countries including Oil against the Zionist regime's atrocities.

Iraj Nadimi, deputy chairman of the Majlis Economic Committee, as another lawmaker to be interviewed by Qodsna, said the parliament organized the march to shout its hatred against the Zionist regime and announced that the Iranians are always with the Palestinians.

He described the Gaza crisis as the result of the U.S. president George W. Bush's tour of the Middle East and the pressures of Zionism lobby, adding that the victory would come and the Palestinian people will achieve their rights.

Dr. Ali Abbaspoor Tehranfard, head of the Majlis Research Commission, for his part said that the Zionist regime without backing of America could never commit such crimes.

"The silence of the Islamic countries would provide the ground for the Zionist regime to commit such crimes," he added.

Sayyed Ali Ryadh, a lawmaker from Tehran believed that Israel tries to cover up its recent failures through Gaza massacre. He denounced the UN Security Council for not reacting to such crimes, suggesting the likelihood that the massacre of the Palestinian people was had been in the interest of the UNSC members so they had kept silence.

Mohammad Khoshchehre, for his part condemned the Arab countries for their silence towards the developments, adding that the rulers of the Arab and Islamic countries were emboldening the Zionist regime to commit crimes.