WANA (Feb 09) – Ahead of the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic called on the public to take part in large numbers in the February 11 rallies, urging them to “disappoint the enemy”—a phrase commonly understood in Tehran’s political discourse to refer to the United States, Israel, and some Western governments.

 

In a televised address, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei described February 11 as a “day for unveiling the power and dignity of the Iranian nation,” recalling the events of 1979. “On the first February 11, the Iranian people achieved a great victory,” he said. “They were able to free themselves and their country from foreign interference.” He added that these “foreign powers” have, over the past decades, continually sought to restore the pre-revolutionary order.

 

February 11 marks the fall of the Pahlavi monarchy and the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran’s official calendar. Each year, nationwide rallies are held in Tehran and other cities—events often portrayed by Iranian authorities as symbols of popular legitimacy and the revolution’s endurance. The Supreme Leader described the annual demonstrations as “unparalleled in the world,” saying the sustained mass turnout sends a clear message to foreign actors.

 

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei offered a broader definition of “national power,” arguing that it is not primarily rooted in military hardware. “National power has more to do with the will of nations and their steadfastness than with missiles and aircraft,” he said.

 

He also warned that “as long as the enemy is not disappointed, a nation remains exposed to pressure and harm,” adding that frustrating adversaries depends on internal unity and resistance to what he called “the enemy’s temptations.”

 

Ayatollah Khamenei further called on Iran’s younger generation to advance in the fields of science, practical action, piety, and ethics, describing the February 11 rallies as a stage on which “loyalty to the Islamic Republic” is publicly demonstrated.

 

In closing, the Supreme Leader expressed hope that this year’s anniversary events would further enhance “the grandeur of the Iranian nation” and compel other governments and powers, in his words, to “bow before the Iranian people.”

Iranians attend the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran, Iran, February 10, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)