Iran’s Defense Capabilities Non-Negotiable, Ralliers in Tehran Insist
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Large crowds of demonstrators in Iran’s capital, marking the 36th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution victory, concluded huge rallies on Wednesday by issuing a statement stressing that Iran’s defensive power is not negotiable in the nuclear talks with world powers.
Carrying images of Imam Khomeini and Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, residents in the capital marched in procession to the Azadi (Liberty) Square, in a move seen by commentators as a gesture of allegiance to the Islamic Republic 36 years after it toppled the monarchy of the US-backed Pahlavi regime.
People also chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans during the mass rallies.
A statement at the conclusion of the event underscored that Iran’s defense industry, such as the missile capabilities, signify the country’s deterrent power and could never be discussed in the nuclear talks with the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).
The statement also emphasized the necessity for unity among all religions and ethnicities in Iran, and condemned any divisive move that serves the interests of enemies.
Senior Iranian officials and 400 foreign guests also attended the rallies. In Tehran, some 265 foreign reporters and more than 1,500 Iranian journalists and photographers cover the news of the great event.
