Politics Should Not Separate Jerusalem From Muslim World - Iranian President

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that political games should not deprive the holy city of Jerusalem from the Muslim world and highlighted the sanctity of the Palestinian land.

"That holy land could not be separated from the one-and-a-half billion Muslim population of the world with political games… The Zionist regime is not committed to morality and even to international regulations, and understands only force," Rouhani said addressing the cabinet, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency.

Rouhani criticized the US decision to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and noted that it violated the UN Security Council resolution. He also expressed concern over the recent escalations in Gaza.

READ MORE: Iranian FM Lambasts Opening of US Embassy in Jerusalem as 'Day of Great Shame'

On Monday, the opening ceremony of the new US embassy in Jerusalem took place amid mass violent clashes on the border with the Gaza Strip, where more than 60 Palestinians were killed and another 2,500 injured by Israeli forces.

For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

Both Israel and Palestine also claim Jerusalem as their capital. Tensions between Israel and the Palestinians flared up after US President Donald Trump's December decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and relocate the US embassy to the city from Tel Aviv.