Iran has marked the 47th anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Large crowds gathered in the capital and other cities around the country in a show of support for the government as Iran observed the 1979 anniversary amid one of the most difficult moments in the country’s recent history.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had issued a call yesterday for Iranians to turn out and join the celebrations, which were attended by senior political, military and religious figures.
The commemorations, held today, featured prominent symbols of anti-US and anti-Israeli sentiment, with people burning and trampling the flags of those countries.
Iranian media showed images of symbolic coffins draped in US flags and bearing the names and portraits of US military commanders, while Iranian missiles and the wreckage of Israeli drones shot down during last year’s 12-day war were displayed.
In the streets, people waved images of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, alongside Iranian and Palestinian flags. Some chanted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
The commemorations in Iran have come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the nuclear negotiations with the US, as Washington has continued to threaten military action.
At a huge public ceremony in Tehran commemorating the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Republic, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for national unity in the face of external threats while insisting that his government is willing to negotiate over its nuclear programme.
Addressing the crowds in Tehran’s Azadi Square, Pezeshkian called for solidarity amongst Iranians in the face of “conspiracies from imperial powers.”
He said, “We are standing together … in solidarity in the face of all conspiracies targeting our nation,” adding that the strength and unity of the Iranian people “gives rise to worry within our enemy. We should continue to stand side by side.”
Iran Poised For Verification Concerning Nuclear Ambitions
Regarding the nuclear talks, Pezeshkian said that Iran was “not seeking nuclear weapons” and was “ready for any kind of verification.”
However, he said, the “high wall of mistrust” created by the US and Europe “does not allow these talks to reach a conclusion.”
“At the same time, we are engaging with full determination in dialogue aimed at peace and stability in the region alongside our neighbouring countries.”
Masoud Pezeshkian
Following the latest round of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, United States President Donald Trump has continued to threaten Tehran with potential military attacks if it does not accede to Washington’s demands on issues ranging from nuclear enrichment to ballistic missiles, with the US leader reportedly considering sending another aircraft carrier group to the region.
Alongside the threats from the US, Iran is grappling with bitter internal divisions amid the fallout from its deadly crackdown on protests earlier this year, in which thousands of protesters were killed, and a cratering economy.
Addressing the recent protests, which began with demonstrations over the high cost of living and the plummeting currency before broadening into other grievances against the government, Pezeshkian apologised for the government’s shortcomings, and said that it was making “every possible effort” to fix the problems.
“We are ready to listen to the voice of the people. We are servants of the people. We are not seeking to confront the people.”
Masoud Pezeshkian
He blamed “malicious propaganda” circulated by Iran’s enemies for inflaming the unrest, which he referred to as riots. “The efforts that our enemies are making to create deep wounds in society and widen divisions, we must heal these wounds,” he said.
