TEHARN – Iranians poured into the streets in large numbers on Sunday to mark the 39th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and express their loyalty to the Islamic republic system.

The people from all walks of life took part in the rallies in more than 1000 cities and towns across the country. 

The Bahman 22 in the Iranian calendar year, which mostly fall on Feb. 11, is synonymous with the Islamic Revolution. On this date in 1979, after a long struggle, Iranians succeeded to overthrow the dictatorial regime of Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, the last monarch of Iran, and establish a democratic government instead.

The massive marches in this year’s rallies were highly significant especially after U.S. President Donald used the nearly one-week protests in Iran in in late December and early January as a pretext to divide the Iranian nation through his inflammatory tweets. 

Trump and some other U.S. officials misused the situation to incite more protests and fuel the unrest. However, the massive rallies on Sunday put on show national unity and send a message to the ill-wishers that the Iranians are united despite grievances against shortcomings mismanagement, discrimination and corruption.

On Thursday, February 8, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the participation of the people in this year’s rallies would be greater and more fervid than ever.

“Due to the nonsense words and blabber of some U.S. and non-U.S. statesmen this year, the people sense that the enemy is setting up an ambush and seeks to carry out hostile acts and, therefore, by the grace of God, the participation of the people in the Bahman 22 rallies this year will be greater and more fervid than ever and everyone will attend,” he said.

In Tehran, people and officials descended on the iconic Azadi Square where President Hassan Rouhani delivered a speech.

Rouhani said that all the Iranians have one common goal and that’s the “greatness” of the country.

“We are entering the 40th year of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. Next year of the revolution should be the year of the maturity of this revolution in the strict sense of the term and we should witness more national unity,” Rouhani stated.

He also said, “When the revolution achieved victory, we were all together. There were many passengers in the train of the revolution. Some, naturally, got off the revolution’s train by their own choice and some of them were made get off by us.”

The president noted that all should be invited to get on the “train of the victory and success of the revolution” again.

The president said efforts by principlists, reformists, moderates and all who respect the constitution are required on the path to national development.

Commenting on the Trump administration’s stance against the 2015 nuclear deal, Rouhani said that pulling out of the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, will be “harmful” to the U.S.

“I announce that our nation will be committed to its obligations as long as the other side remains committed and once again, I stress that if they want to pull out of the deal, they will see the harms soon,” the president warned.

Zarif says all officials are duty bound to meet people’s demands

Speaking on the sidelines of the rallies in Tehran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said all officials are duty bound to meet the people’s demands.

“The people have rightful demands some of which come from deficiencies and problems in the country and it is all the officials’ duty to pay attention to the people’s rightful demands as the greatest strategic capital of the system,” he said.

He also praised the people’s participation in the rallies.

First Vice President Es’haq Jahangiri said that the people’s participation in the rallies is very “effective” for the vitality of the Islamic republic system.

Jahangiri noted that more actions should be taken to solve the people’s problems and meet their demands.

Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said on the sidelines of the rallies in Shiraz that the enemies made the most efforts to affect this year’s rallies negatively, however the people attended the rallies “gloriously”.
He also noted that the revolution belongs to all the people and political factions.

People are real hero: Shamkhani

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said the people are the real “hero” and their participation in the rallies disappointed the enemies. He said that the people are main guarantors of national security and power.

Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, the government spokesman and director of Budget and Planning Organization, said unity is the secret of the revolution’s victory. Nobakht said the people has never stopped supporting the revolution in spite of all difficulties.

Major Soleimani ‘We are astonished by people’

Major General Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the IRGC Quds Force, said he was surprised by the people’s huge turnout in rallies. “We are astonished by the people and their commitment to the principles.”

He described the Iranians as a “loyal” and “great” nation who should be highly respected.

Mohsen Rezaee, secretary of the Expediency Council, also told reporters that the people’s participation is the best proof of the revolution’s stability. The people proved that they remain committed to the revolution’s causes, Rezaee added.

NA/PA