NEW DELHI: Iran marked the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution on Sunday, amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East due to Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of Iranians took part in marches throughout major streets and squares, adorned with flags, balloons, and banners carrying revolutionary and religious slogans.
In the capital city of Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and held placards with anti-United States and anti-Israel phrases like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Some individuals also burned US and Israeli flags, a usual practice during pro-government rallies.A significant security presence was observed in major cities across the country.
The anniversary this year comes just a month after a tragic attack by the extremist Islamic State group in the city of Kerman, claiming the lives of at least 95 people during a commemoration for the late Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2020. Following the blast, Iran sought to assign blame for the attack to the US and Israel, coinciding with the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest in Iran, sparked by discontent with the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
In January 1979, the ailing shah, secretly battling cancer, fled the country. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had been in exile, returned to Iran, leading to the collapse of the government on February 11, 1979, following days of mass demonstrations and clashes between protesters and security forces.
(With AP inputs)
Thousands of Iranians took part in marches throughout major streets and squares, adorned with flags, balloons, and banners carrying revolutionary and religious slogans.
In the capital city of Tehran, crowds waved Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and held placards with anti-United States and anti-Israel phrases like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Some individuals also burned US and Israeli flags, a usual practice during pro-government rallies.A significant security presence was observed in major cities across the country.
The anniversary this year comes just a month after a tragic attack by the extremist Islamic State group in the city of Kerman, claiming the lives of at least 95 people during a commemoration for the late Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US drone strike in 2020. Following the blast, Iran sought to assign blame for the attack to the US and Israel, coinciding with the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Islamic Revolution began with widespread unrest in Iran, sparked by discontent with the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
In January 1979, the ailing shah, secretly battling cancer, fled the country. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had been in exile, returned to Iran, leading to the collapse of the government on February 11, 1979, following days of mass demonstrations and clashes between protesters and security forces.
(With AP inputs)
