Everyone For The Homeland
Iran marks 47th anniv. of Islamic Revolution with mass rallies
Pezeshkian: Tehran ready for ‘any verification’ but not to accept excessive demands
Iranians took to the streets across the country to mark the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution weeks after nationwide protests over economic problems turned violent in the wake of support from foreign countries including the country’s arch foe the United States.
Huge crowds poured into Tehran’s main squares and into public spaces across roughly 1,400 cities and towns, braving chilly temperatures, rain and snow in a display of national unity amid provocations and threats by the US and Israel in recent weeks.
In Tehran, participants gathered from 9:30 a.m. local time and proceeded toward the iconic Azadi Square where President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the massive crowd.
They chanted slogans in unison condemning decades of crimes by the United States against the Iranian nation, as well as the Israeli regime’s atrocities.
They also carried photos of the martyrs of the eight-year Iraqi war on Iran, the 12-day US and Israeli war in June, and the recent foreign-backed riots, as well as other martyrs who lost their lives in the line of duty.
On Monday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called on the Iranian nation to demonstrate its will and steadfastness on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, saying such unity would frustrate the enemy.
January’s protests
The large-scale turnout follows riots on January 8 and 9, when protests initially sparked by economic grievances on January 8 and 9 and turned into unruly scenes of mayhem and destruction. Armed groups infiltrated the demonstrations, leading to damage to shops, government buildings and public facilities, as well as casualties among civilians and security forces.
Iranian authorities confirmed that American and Israeli spy agencies were directly involved, providing funding, training, and media support to the perpetrators. According to a statement last month by Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, a total of 3,117 people lost their lives during the riots, including 2,427 innocent civilians and security personnel.
Addressing the ceremony in Tehran, Pezeshkian pointed to the deadly incidents during the recent protests, saying that events of January 8th and 9th caused great sorrow in the hearts of Iranians.
“We are ashamed before the people, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents”, Pezeshkian said.
Ready to listen to people
He underlined that the government is ready to listen to the people's demands, “We consider ourselves the servants of the people; we do not seek confrontation with the people. But the enemy is trying to deepen society's wounds. We must be aware that this is not in our interest.”
Referring to ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US, he denied Iran was seeking nuclear weapons and said the country was ready for “any verification.”
However, he said the Islamic Republic would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear program.
Pezeshkian said the “high wall of mistrust” created by the US and Europe “does not allow these talks to reach a conclusion”, adding that Iran will not bow to the excessive demands of the West and will not back down in the face of any aggression.