In a rally held on Sunday to mark the 45th anniversary of the takeover of the former US embassy in Tehran, Hossein Salami, chief commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), attributed the rise of extremist terrorism and division within the Muslim world to US policies. This annual commemoration is also recognised as the “National Day of the Fight against Global Arrogance” and “National Student Day,” reports the Bhaskar Live.
During the event, Salami condemned what he described as the “paradoxical identity” of the United States, which, he argued, claims to promote peace and security but instead contributes to “crimes, massacres, and occupations” across the globe.
His comments specifically addressed the role of US policies in fostering Takfiri extremism, a term used by Iranian authorities to refer to militant groups they consider to be divisive forces within Islam.
Salami’s remarks were delivered as part of a broader anti-US rally, where demonstrators gathered near the former US embassy in Tehran, waving flags of Iran, Hezbollah, and Palestine, as well as displaying images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and fallen leaders from Iranian and regional resistance movements. The demonstrators chanted slogans against both the US and Israel, denouncing what they described as continued interference in Middle Eastern affairs.
In a closing statement, rally participants reaffirmed their loyalty to Ayatollah Khamenei and condemned the military attacks of Israel in Gaza and Lebanon, alleging that these are carried out with US support. They also appealed to the international community to advocate for ceasefires in the region.
The annual commemoration is rooted in the 1979 takeover of the US embassy by Iranian university students, who accused the embassy of espionage and attempts to undermine Iran’s Islamic Republic following the country’s revolution. This event remains a key symbol in Iranian political memory, with nationwide rallies held each year in observance of the occasion.
