President Hassan Rouhani warned foreign powers on Wednesday that Iranians would “forever safeguard the Islamic republic,” eleven days ahead of the 39th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
“As long as people love the culture of Islam and love their Iran and safeguard their national unity, no superpower can change the path of this nation,” he said, taking a jab at the United States.
However, he said Iran must listen to protesters behind a recent wave of unrest.
“All officials of the country should have a listening ear for people’s demands and wishes,” Rouhani said after paying tribute to the late founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Rouhullah Khomeini.
“The previous regime thought monarchical rule would last forever, but it lost everything for this very reason — that it did not hear the criticism of the people,” he added, as he and his cabinet members attended the late Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum.
Meanwhile, Rouhani stressed that everything in Iran should revolve around the three main principles of Islam, country and the people.
“As far as Islam is practiced, people adore the Islamic culture and Iran, and everybody reveres their national security, no force will be able to mislead them,” the Iranian president said.
President Rouhani and his entourage on Wednesday also visited the tombs of the martyrs of the Eight-year Holy Defense (Iraqi-imposed war from 1980 to 1988) and the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The day of Imam Khomeini’s return to Iran from exile (Feb 1, 1979) marks the beginning of the Ten-Day Fajr (dawn) in ceremonies which culminate with the anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution on February 11, 1979.
Iranians toppled the US-backed Pahlavi regime 39 years ago, ending 2,500 years of monarchy in the country.
Source: Agencies
