Iran marks 47 years of Revolution with nationwide massive rallies

Mass rallies were held across Iran on Wednesday to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with state officials and large crowds gathering in Tehran and more than 1,400 cities nationwide for the annual 22 Bahman commemorations.

In the capital, demonstrators converged on Azadi Square from early morning, waving Iranian flags and carrying banners as part of one of the country’s most significant national events. Similar marches took place in cities, including Bandar Abbas, Hamedan, Bushehr, Kharg Island, Shiraz, and Tabriz, despite adverse weather conditions in some regions.
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Tehran reported that Palestinian flags were visible alongside Iranian flags during the marches, underscoring Tehran’s longstanding support for the Palestinian cause. State media framed the anniversary as a display of national unity and resistance amid ongoing regional tensions.

Iran’s president, alongside senior figures, joined the mass rallies
Senior officials joined the commemorations in the capital. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the Tehran rally, alongside Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Secretary of the National Defense Council Ali Shamkhani, IRGC’s Quds Force commander Brigadier General Esmail Qa’ani, and Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Major General Seyed Abdolrahim Mousavi. Their presence reinforced the political and military establishment’s emphasis on solidarity and resilience.

Pezeshkian will deliver the keynote address at this year’s ceremony in Tehran’s Azadi Square, an event that is covered by both domestic and international journalists.

Military symbolism featured prominently in this year’s events. Various Iranian missiles, including models identified as Qassem Soleimani, Fateh, and Fatah-110, were displayed along the rally route in Tehran. Wreckage of Israeli drones reportedly shot down during a recent 12-day US-Israeli aggression was also displayed at Azadi Square. Symbolic coffins representing US military commanders were displayed during parts of the procession.
Images of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were reportedly trampled by some participants, and in Tehran’s Enghelab Square, demonstrators set fire to Israeli and US flags, gestures that have become recurrent features of anniversary events, reflecting Iran’s defiance in the face of US hegemony and Israeli oppression.

Iran would overcome external pressures: Mousavi
Addressing participants, Major General Mousavi said Iran’s enemies would ultimately be frustrated in the face of the Iranian people’s faith and steadfastness. He attributed the country’s resilience to public awareness and unity, expressing confidence that Iran would overcome external pressures.

Beyond Tehran, turnout remained significant in provincial cities. In Tabriz, participants marched despite heavy rain and bitter cold, according to local reporting.

In Khuzestan, members of the Bakhtiari and Arab tribes joined the rallies wearing traditional dress, highlighting the state’s effort to present the anniversary as a cross-ethnic national occasion.

Public turnout sends political message of unity
The editor-in-chief of the Iranian newspaper Al-Wefaq, Mukhtar Haddad, told Al Mayadeen that the large-scale public participation in the anniversary events carried both moral and political significance, reflecting a unified national front amid mounting external pressure.

Haddad said the Iranian people and the armed forces stand alongside the country’s diplomatic leadership, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He argued that any war against Iran would ultimately aim to topple its political system, but maintained that the visible public cohesion demonstrated sustained support for the leadership and the state’s institutions.

He stressed that Tehran has been transparent in negotiations and will not retreat from its support for Resistance movements, adding that discussions remain strictly confined to the nuclear file and will not extend to Iran’s defensive capabilities or regional posture.

Referring to Iran’s military deterrence, Haddad warned that it was “not guaranteed that US ships would return to the United States if war were to break out,” highlighting the country’s readiness to respond to any aggression.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent also reported strong participation by young people across the country, describing their presence as a prominent feature of this year’s commemorations.

Meanwhile, our correspondent noted that the large crowds in Bandar Abbas and hundreds of other cities, despite sanctions and threats, conveyed a clear message that the domestic front remains cohesive and that external pressure has failed to weaken the bond between the public and the political echelon.

Wider context
The anniversary also featured the traditional 9:00 pm rooftop chants of “Allahu Akbar” echoing across cities and towns nationwide. The practice commemorates similar chants heard during the final days of the revolution in February 1979, when mass protests led to the collapse of the US-backed monarchy and the establishment of the Islamic Republic under Sayyed Ruhollah Khomeini.

The 22 Bahman rally marks the culmination of the ten-day Dawn celebrations, which begin on February 1, the date of Sayed Khomeini’s return from exile, and conclude on 11 February, the day the Iranian revolution forces consolidated power.

This year’s commemorations unfold against a backdrop of US military threats, heightened regional tensions, economic pressures linked to sanctions, and continued defiance in the face of Western imperialism. For Iranian authorities, the anniversary remains both a symbolic reaffirmation of revolutionary ideals and a political demonstration of endurance nearly five decades after the upheaval that reshaped the country and the wider West Asia region.