Iran begins festivities marking 43rd Islamic Revolution anniversary

Iran has begun celebrations to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the US-backed Pahlavi regime

The festivities, known as the Ten-Day Dawn, start with ceremonies that mark the return to Iran of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic, after 15 years in exile.

Millions of Iranians welcomed the charismatic leader in Tehran on February 1, 1979. Imam Khomeini’s arrival intensified months of popular protests against the Pahlavi regime.

Ten days later, the rallies culminated in the downfall of the Pahlavi regime, bringing the curtain down on more than two millennia of monarchy in Iran.

The Islamic Revolution established a new political system; a republic based on Islamic values and democracy.

“We lost many of our beloved ones for the sake of the Islamic Republic. By celebrating the event, we seek to say no to foreign interference in our country. We still stick to those ideals no matter how much pressure and sanctions the US imposes on our nation,”