TEHRAN- As the world marked the 78th anniversary of Nakba Day (May 15), Iran intensified its diplomatic condemnation of the Israeli regime, calling the event a source of permanent regional instability and reiterating that the future of Palestine must be determined solely by its people.

In a statement released on Friday night, Iran’s Foreign Ministry described Nakba Day—commemorating the mass displacement of Palestinians following the establishment of the Israeli regime in 1948—as a reminder of “the conspiracy of the enemies of humanity against Palestine.” The ministry asserted that the direct consequence of that conspiracy has been the “permanent destabilization of the region” and the normalization of lawbreaking and crime.

“Seventy-eight years ago on this day, the most horrific human and moral tragedy of the contemporary era took shape with the declaration of the establishment of the fake Zionist entity in the historical land of Palestine,” the statement read. It added that the disastrous consequences of that event continue to be witnessed across West Asia and throughout the world.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that over the past eight decades, the most savage violations of international law have been committed by the Zionist regime, backed by the United States, Britain, Germany, Canada, and several other European countries. It noted that during the last three years, “the colonial project to annihilate Palestine” has entered a new phase, with the occupying regime using the deadliest weapons provided by Western supporters to carry out a “ruthless genocide of Palestinians.”

While acknowledging that international courts have moved to prosecute Zionist leaders for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, the ministry criticized “illegal pressure by the United States” against those courts, arguing that successive US administrations are accomplices in the genocide of Palestinians.

Iran reaffirmed its principled support for the Palestinian people’s right to resist occupation and apartheid, rejecting any plan involving the forced displacement of Gazans and West Bank residents from their homeland. The ministry called for the establishment of an independent and unified Palestinian state with the Holy Quds as its capital, as well as the return of all Palestinian refugees.

Separately, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Amir Saeid Iravani, addressed a UN commemoration event marking the Nakba anniversary. He described the day as marking “a mass displacement of Palestinians” and a profound regional tragedy. Iravani argued that decades of violence, war crimes, and occupation have failed to break Palestinian identity, dignity, and legitimate aspirations.

“The continuation of this situation demands a critical reassessment of approaches that have failed to deliver peace or justice,” Iravani said. “Surrender is not an option.”

He called on the international community to reject double standards and adopt a more action-oriented approach aligned with universal values, stressing that “the future of Palestine must be determined by its own people.”