In a challenge against the freezing cold and difficult economic conditions, Iranian crowds commemorated the 45th anniversary of the victory of the Revolution this Sunday morning. Each individual had their own story with the Revolution, whether they participated in its events and regretted it, opposed it at the beginning but found strength in it in a world that only respects the strong.
In front of Tehran University in the capital, Iranian citizen, 66-year-old “Thuraya,” recalled participating in anti-Shah regime protests during her days at university. She expressed her continued commitment to the Revolution, which she sacrificed for, including her eldest son during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988).
As the massive crowds continued their march towards “Islamic Revolution Square,” 58-year-old “Uncle Sasan” approached an Al Jazeera correspondent, eager to share his experience with the Iranian Revolution. He mentioned that he and his family had not previously participated in the Revolution commemorations.
The sixty-year-old man, “Kamran,” appeared dissatisfied with the chants of “Death to America and Death to Israel,” despite enduring the bitterness of imprisonment under the former Shah regime. He regretted his participation in the 1979 Revolution, accusing certain figures of deceiving the Iranian public by painting an idealistic picture of the post-monarchic era.
Masoumah Ebtekar, former Iranian Vice President, affirmed that the Revolution had deviated from its goals, acknowledging that the Iranian people had welcomed the Revolution with full awareness of its objectives. Activist Emad Aldin Baqerzadeh expressed concerns regarding the economic, environmental, administrative, and organizational challenges facing the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Former Iranian ambassador to Australia and Mexico, Mohammad Hassan Kadir Abianeh, refuted claims of Iran deviating from the principles and goals of the Revolution. He highlighted Iran’s significant achievements in reclaiming independence, freedom, and progress in various scientific, economic, and military fields.
In conclusion, Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Islamic Republic’s founder, warned against compromising the fundamental principles of the Revolution and the Islamic system, emphasizing that diverting from these principles would undermine the roots of the Revolution and the Islamic system.
