TEHRAN – Iranian people from all walks of life poured into streets on Monday to attend nationwide rallies to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution’s victory, known as Bahman 22nd in Iran.

IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

The huge turnout came in a rainy day despite all the economic pressures and sanctions imposed against the nation, as well as the extensive propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

What follows are photos of the rallies retrieved from various sources, with people holding flags of Iran and banners in support of the Islamic Republic:

In Tehran and addressing the participants in the rallies, President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran was determined to expand its military power and ballistic missile program despite mounting pressure from hostile countries to curb Iran’s defensive work.

“We have not asked and will not ask for permission to develop different types of … missiles and will continue our path and our military power,” Rouhani said in a speech at Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Square, where tens of thousands gathered to mark the 40th anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

Rouhani also vowed Iran would defeat U.S. sanctions, imposed after President Donald Trump withdrew from Tehran’s nuclear accord with world powers last year.

“The Iranian people have and will have some economic difficulties [due to the sanctions] but we will overcome the problems by helping each other,” Rouhani said.

Rouhani said massive turnout throughout the country at February 11 rallies, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, proves that the plots of the enemies over the past year have been thwarted.

“Thanks be to God who liberated Iranian nation from colonialism and dependency 40 years ago and Islamic Republic of Iran gained independency by the efforts and helps of this honorable nation,” said Rouhani addressing the demonstrators on Monday morning.

This year, he underlined, we now hold the Feb. 11 rallies while the U.S., Zionist regime and the region’s reactionary states have exerted pressure on our nation, however, massive turnout throughout the country at February 11 rallies proves that the plots of the enemies over the past year have been thwarted.

“The enemies will never reach their evil goals. Our path will continue as it has during past four decades, he reiterated.

Rouhani said that the reason for us to overcome all these conspiracies during the past forty years, was “Islamism” and “Republicanism”. The faith of Iranian people, the culture of jihad, martyrdom and sacrifice are the greatest achievements of the Islamic Revolution and Sacred Defense, he noted.

Today, the whole world should know that the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran is far more than the days of Iraq’s war against Iran. Today, our Armed Forces are self-sufficient in supplying a variety of weapons and ammunition. Today, 85% of our equipment and ammunition are produced by the domestic forces. We will never ask for permission to build anti-aircraft, air defense, ground-to-sea, sea-to-sea and ground-to-ground missiles, Rouhani underlined.

Pointing to Iran’s constructive role in the settlement of regional issues, Rouhani said “when Iran decided to help the people of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Yemen, the whole world saw that the enemies did not win, and they are now trying to leave the region. The first achievement of the Islamic Revolution was the safeguarding of Iran during Iraq’s imposed war, during which we did not given an inch of our land to the enemy. Our nation prevailed against conspiracies.”

Pointing to Iran’s nuclear power, Rouhani said “Iran is the only country that has been suspended from the Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter without yielding to the enemies.”

Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter authorizes security council to impose a variety of sanctions after determining the existing of threat to the peace, breach of the or act of aggression.

“This is the power of the Iranian nation and the power of our diplomacy,” he added.

“Iran’s role in the region has reached a historical peak and no matter what other countries and superpowers say, Iran is the only country that can rush to help regional states,” he said.

“If you want regional security, no plan will succeed without Iran, and the global arrogance, Americans and Zionists should know that this victory will be Iran’s.”

Meanwhile yesterday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) put a number of its ballistic missiles on display on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

IRGC has now stationed a number of its medium-range ballistic missiles, including ‘Ghadr’, ‘Qiam’, and ‘Zolfaghar’ on the rally routes in the capital city of Tehran to showcase a part of the Islamic Republic’s defensive achievements during the past years.

Each year on the 22nd day of the month of Bahman on the Persian calendar (11th of February), Iranians turn out in ceremonies attended by high-ranking officials to renew their allegiance to the Islamic establishment and Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic.