Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called for national unity in the face of external threats while insisting that his government is willing to negotiate over its nuclear programme, at a huge public ceremony in Tehran commemorating the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Republic.
Large crowds gathered in the capital and other cities around the country in a show of support for the government as Iran observed the 1979 anniversary amid one of the most difficult moments in the country’s recent history.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Following the latest round of talks on Iran’s nuclear programme, United States President Donald Trump has continued to threaten Tehran with potential military attacks if it does not accede to Washington’s demands on issues ranging from nuclear enrichment to ballistic missiles, with the US leader reportedly considering sending another aircraft carrier group to the region.
Alongside the threats from the US, Iran is grappling with bitter internal divisions amid the fallout from its deadly crackdown on protests earlier this year, in which thousands of protesters were killed, and a cratering economy.
Addressing the crowds in Tehran’s Azadi Square, Pezeshkian called for solidarity amongst Iranians in the face of “conspiracies from imperial powers”.
“We are standing together … in solidarity in the face of all conspiracies targeting our nation,” he said, adding that the strength and unity of the Iranian people “gives rise to worry within our enemy”.
“We should continue to stand side by side.”
Regarding the nuclear talks, he said Iran was “not seeking nuclear weapons” and was “ready for any kind of verification”.
However, he said, the “high wall of mistrust” created by the US and Europe “does not allow these talks to reach a conclusion”.
“At the same time, we are engaging with full determination in dialogue aimed at peace and stability in the region alongside our neighbouring countries,” he added.
Pezeshkian apologises
Addressing the recent protests, which began with demonstrations over the high cost of living and the plummeting currency before broadening into other grievances against the government, Pezeshkian apologised for the government’s shortcomings, and said it was making “every possible effort” to fix the problems.
“We are ready to listen to the voice of the people. We are servants of the people. We are not seeking to confront the people,” he said.
He blamed “malicious propaganda” circulated by Iran’s enemies for inflaming the unrest, which he referred to as riots.
“The efforts that our enemies are making to create deep wounds in society and widen divisions, we must heal these wounds,” he said.
Iran ‘open to deal’
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Tehran, Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher at the Centre for Strategic Studies, said Pezeshkian’s speech signalled Iran was “open to a fair and balanced deal with the United States”.
“While he did not go into any details, saying Iran is open to that means that Iran, at the same time, will resist unrealistic demands from the United States that seek to disarm Iran or deny Iran of its sovereign rights,” he said.
He said Pezeshkian’s speech acknowledged that the public’s grievances with the government were legitimate, stressing his government would do its best to resolve the problems.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar said the anniversary commemorations were taking place at a critical moment for Iran, as the country faced external threats and significant internal division.
“There’s a huge demand for change,” he said, adding that meanwhile, “the establishment wants to show it has the people’s support.”
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had issued a call on Tuesday for Iranians to turn out and join the celebrations, which were attended by senior political, military and religious figures.
US, Israeli flags burned
The commemorations featured prominent symbols of anti-US and anti-Israeli sentiment, with people burning and trampling the flags of those countries.
Iranian media showed images of symbolic coffins draped in US flags and bearing the names and portraits of US military commanders, while Iranian missiles and the wreckage of Israeli drones shot down during last year’s 12-day war were displayed.
In the streets, people waved images of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, alongside Iranian and Palestinian flags. Some chanted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Dareini, from Tehran’s Centre for Strategic Studies, said the commemorations were a significant manifestation of solidarity at a critical juncture for Iran.
“Israelis and Americans have been seeking to break national solidarity in Iran, but today’s rallies around the country are a manifestation of solidarity,” he said.
Diplomatic push continues
The commemorations in Iran have come amid ongoing diplomatic efforts surrounding the nuclear negotiations with the US, as Washington has continued to threaten military action.
On Wednesday, Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani left Oman, where he had met with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and the country’s foreign minister to discuss the results of talks between US and Iranian officials in the sultanate last week, for Qatar.
Qatar, which hosts a major US military installation that Iran attacked in June after Washington’s attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, has been a key negotiator in the past with Iran.
Larijani is expected to meet with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during the visit, which comes shortly after the emir discussed efforts for regional de-escalation and stability in a phone call with Trump, the Emiri Diwan said on Wednesday.
The emir and Trump discussed “supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing crises through dialogue and peaceful means”, the Diwan said.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet Trump in Washington on Wednesday, where the Israeli leader is expected to present his government’s concerns over any potential deal with Iran.
Netanyahu has said he will present Trump with “principles” for negotiating with Iran during the visit, where he is also scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
