TEHRAN - Citizens from all walks of life found themselves on the streets of Iranian cities on Sunday, as they marched through different parts of the country to celebrate the 45th anniversary of an event that gave them the independence and national harmony they have today. 

On February 11, 1979, Iranians figured that years of unyielding fight and resistance against the tyrannical Shah regime had finally come to fruition. They marked their victory after the last remaining cohorts of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi fled the country, and the Shah’s army announced that it would not be standing against the will of the Iranian people anymore. 

Since then, Iranians have been taking to the streets every year to mark this grand victory and renew their allegiance to the Islamic Revolution by chanting slogans and waving the country’s national flag. 

This year, millions of people took part in the celebrations in over 1,400 cities and 35,000 villages all around Iran. Images captured during the rallies showed high-ranking officials joining ordinary people and walking with them side by side. The demonstrations that take place on the 22nd of the solar calendar month of Bahman each year are not exclusive to only one group of Iranians; everyone pours to the streets to honor one of the biggest days of their country’s history. The day which gave the Iranian people a new sense of motivation and hope to strive to get back to the astute regional role they had for thousands of years. 

The demonstrations took place this year as Western-based media outlets as well as American and European politicians move away from a failed hybrid war they have been trying to wage on Iran in the past two years. With Sunday’s mass rallies, they once again noticed that they would not be able to take the country down with the help of crippling sanctions and non-stop propaganda campaigns. People once again showed the global arrogance that they are resolute in their national and religious visions for Iran, even if they happen to have taken chagrin at some of the authorities’ conduct. 

The night before the event, fireworks illuminated the skies of Tehran and various cities at 9:00 p.m. as crowds echoed the resounding chant of "Allahu Akbar" (God is the Greatest), symbolizing unity and support for the Islamic Revolution.

Iran will not abandon Palestinians 

President Ebrahim Raisi on Sunday reiterated Iran's steadfast backing of the Palestinian people, emphasizing that Palestine remains the paramount concern of the Muslim world, echoing the sentiments of the Islamic Republic's founder, Imam Khomeini.

Speaking at a significant gathering in Tehran commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Raisi emphasized that Western powers exerted considerable effort to dissuade Iran from supporting Palestine, yet their attempts were futile.

Despite persistent pressure, including attempts through warfare, economic blockades, and sanctions, Raisi emphasized that the Islamic Republic remained resolute in championing the cause of Palestine and the principles of the Islamic Revolution.

Forty-five years post-revolution, Raisi affirmed that Imam Khomeini was correct in asserting that Palestine holds primacy in the Islamic world and that the occupied al-Quds must be liberated.

He urged individuals seeking to understand the West, the U.S., and the Zionist regime to assess their ongoing violations of humanity, war crimes, and atrocities committed in Gaza.

The president spotlighted Israel's aggressive actions, specifically the genocidal assault on Gaza following a historic operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group in response to escalating Israeli brutality against Palestinians. The newest round of Israeli onslaughts which began on October 7 has so far resulted in the death of at least 28,064 Palestinians, predominantly women and children, with 67,611 others sustaining injuries.

Furthermore, President Raisi celebrated Iran as the "most independent nation" globally, attributing the Islamic Revolution with replacing indignity with honor and championing autonomy. He emphasized Iran's position as a nation free from dependencies on the East and West, delineating its capacity to make sovereign decisions and act autonomously.