- President Ebrahim Raisi condemned Israel as he spoke to huge crowds in Tehran
Iran has marked the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution with a parade of rockets, drones and a satellite carrier as the regime aims to project an image of strength amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Marking the anniversary of the 1979 deposition of US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the celebrations have seen American flags burned and chants condemning the US, UK and Iran’s arch foe Israel.
Speaking to crowds gathered in Tehran, President Ebrahim Raisi castigated Israel over its war in Gaza, accusing the ‘Zionist entity’ – Iran’s term for the country – of committing ‘genocide’ with the support of the US and other Western states.
Meanwhile a parachutist unfurled a huge Palestinian flag over the parade as marchers below voiced their support for Gaza, with Iran continuing to position itself as one of the main supporters of terror group Hamas.
Already simmering tensions have been threatening to boil over in the region since the bloodiest ever Gaza war erupted on October 7 following Hamas’s attack on Israel, sparking violence between Iran-backed militant groups and US forces.
With marchers holding up Iranian and Palestinian flags, harsh criticism of the US – often dubbed the ‘Great Satan’ in Iran – and Israel dominated ceremonies marking the anniversary.
Iran has hailed Hamas’s attack on southern Israel, which saw some 1,160 people killed, a ‘success’ but denied any direct involvement.
More than 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its full-scale invasion, according to Hamas authorities.
Raisi demanded that the ‘bombing of Gaza should be stopped as soon as possible’ and declared that ‘the death of the Zionist regime has come’, in his speech to thousands at the Square in western Tehran.
He asked about Israel: ‘How can a regime that has violated 400 statements and resolutions of international organisations adhere to UN covenants?
‘We believe that one of the important steps that should be taken is the expulsion of the Zionist regime from the United Nations.’
Israel, with the backing of its Western allies, has vowed to eradicate Hamas while Iran has continued to fund proxy groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen.
The US has accused Tehran of ‘actively facilitating’ attacks on US forces in the Middle East and of backing attacks on Red Sea shipping by the Houthi rebels, charges Iran has denied.
Iran has been under crippling US sanctions since Washington’s 2018 withdrawal from a landmark deal which granted it sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.
During today’s events, chants of ‘Down with the United States’, ‘Down with Israel’ and ‘Down with the United Kingdom’ rung out in Tehran.
American and Israeli flags were burned and walked over by furious protesters who also held up signs with anti-US slogans.
Meanwhile, red, white and green Iranian flags were put up to decorate the streets and adorned patriotic marchers.
Military hardware was on display around Azadi Square, with Iranian-made Qiam ballistic missiles, Shahed 136 drones and Simorgh satellite launchers wheeled out to be admired by attendees.
Crowds held up portraits of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and popular general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in an US strike in January 2020.
While thousands of loyalists gathered to show their support to the regime, there has also been mounting unrest across Iranian society, with a rise in criticism of the regime since the 2022 killing of Mahsa Amini in 2022.
Amini, 22, died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women.
Angry protests which ensued amounted to some of the worst political unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and have prompted a wave of dissent in the months since.
Videos have been shared online allegedly showing Iranians shouting angry slogans about the government as anniversary fireworks were set off last night, despite the dangers of voicing opposition in the totalitarian state.
Today’s events were held a month after bombings at a ceremony in the southeastern city of Kerman to commemorate commander Qassem Soleimani, who was killed by a US drone in 2020.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack that left 84 people dead and 284 wounded, saying that two of their terrorists detonated their explosive vests in the middle of a crowd.
There was a heavy security presence on Sunday at events around the country majority-Shiite Iran remains on high alert for attacks by the Sunni extremist group and other ‘enemies’ of the state.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
