WANA (Sep 02) – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to deliver a speech on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, marking what Tehran calls the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of the Prophet of Islam. The initiative is part of a broader effort by Iran and several Muslim countries to elevate this religious commemoration from a domestic event to an international occasion.

 

According to Reza Ezzat-Zamani, deputy head of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Organization, a special gathering will be held in New York with the participation of 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where Iran’s president will be one of the keynote speakers. In essence, Tehran is seeking to use the UN stage to project a “symbolic and unifying” role—conveying both a religious and political message to a global audience.

 

While the official theme of the gathering is the Prophet’s birth, analysts view the move as part of Iran’s cultural-diplomatic strategy. At a time when Tehran remains locked in disputes with the West over its nuclear program and sanctions, such initiatives allow the country to present itself as a champion of “Islamic unity” and to project an alternative narrative of its regional role.

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Iran has a history of using religious milestones to deliver political messages. Holding such an event alongside the UN General Assembly—when global media attention is at its peak—offers Tehran a platform to reach far beyond its immediate circle. The participation of other OIC member states further amplifies this narrative.

 

The OIC as a Platform for Consensus

The involvement of all 57 OIC member states signals Iran’s intention to turn the anniversary into more than a symbolic celebration, instead framing it as a moment of pan-Islamic solidarity. Although real consensus within the OIC is often undermined by political and sectarian divisions, Tehran is leveraging a non-controversial theme—commemoration of the Prophet’s birth—to revive at least a minimal sense of common ground.

 

Linking Domestic and International Narratives

Iranian cultural officials also announced that, in parallel with the UN event, large-scale celebrations will be held across eight provinces in Iran, including Kurdistan, Sistan-Baluchestan, and Tehran. This dual-track approach reflects Tehran’s strategy of linking domestic religious cohesion with an international message of Islamic solidarity.

An Iranian man holds a flag inscribed with the Prophet Muhammad  June 10, 2022. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)

President Pezeshkian’s address at the United Nations will serve not only as a commemoration of a religious anniversary but also as a piece of Tehran’s soft-power diplomacy. By framing itself as the axis of a “united Islamic community,” Iran seeks to bolster its symbolic influence abroad even as it continues to face significant political challenges at home and on the international stage.