Alwaght- Mass crowds of Iranians celebrated the 42nd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime in 1979. Each year, the occasion is commemorated by nationwide mass rallies, but this year, there has been a change in the ceremonies due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The celebrations began in the capital, Tehran, and other cities at 10:00 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on Wednesday, with the participants driving their cars, motorcycles and bicycles, Press TV reported.
The vehicles were decorated with slogans as well as the images of Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the top Iranian anti-terror commander, who was assassinated by the US, last year.
In Tehran, processions of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles kicked off from 12 different points on, driving through the streets to circle the iconic Azadi (freedom) Square.
More than 6,000 Iranian and some 200 foreign journalists, photographers and cameramen are covering the event.
In addition to the driving marches, a virtual rally also took place on Wednesday, with the Iranians taking to social media to renew their allegiance to the Islamic Republic.
The previous night, on the eve of the 42nd anniversary, a fireworks display was performed over Tehran and other Iranian cities.
‘Iranians will defeat US in economic war’
In a final communiqué, the demonstrators reminded the arrogant powers, especially the United States, of their grave miscalculations in dealing with the Iranian nation before and after its Islamic Revolution, reaffirming their firm determination to the deal the enemies another blow in the economic war they are currently waging against the Islamic Republic.
The demonstrators also said they will stand firm by their position on the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which the US abandoned in 2018, calling for the removal of all sanctions imposed by Washington on Iran following its exit from the agreement.
Tehran, they emphasized, will return to its commitments under the agreement only after a thorough verification of the other parties’ compliance with the deal, not only in words or on paper but in practice.
