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Iranians mark 47th Islamic revolution anniversary with nationwide rallies

Tehran rallies feature imagery of Iranian missiles and drones from last year’s conflict with Israel.

Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Women hold Iranian flags and a portrait of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in front of Tehran's Azadi Tower on the 47th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution. [Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters]
By Al Jazeera and Agencies
Published On 11 Feb 2026

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Iranians have commemorated the 47th anniversary of the Islamic revolution with mass rallies nationwide.

Crowds flooded Tehran and other cities on Wednesday to celebrate the Islamic Republic’s establishment and show solidarity with the government during one of the most tumultuous periods in Iran’s recent history.

Demonstrators packed the streets carrying portraits of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic’s founder, along with Iranian and Palestinian flags. Many in attendance chanted, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”

The commemorations prominently featured anti-American and anti-Israeli imagery, including the burning and trampling of both countries’ flags.

Iranian media showcased mock coffins draped with US flags bearing American military commanders’ names and photographs while also displaying Iranian missiles and fragments of downed Israeli drones from June’s 12-day conflict.

While the rallies were organised to show public support for the government, that backing is hardly unanimous. Demonstrations broke out at the end of December over the plummeting value of Iran’s currency, the rial, and high inflation. The protests spread across the country and evolved into antigovernment demonstrations before a deadly crackdown by security forces.

People march near Azadi Tower in Tehran
Some demonstrators shouted "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!" and burned US and Israeli flags. [AFP
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Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians attended demonstrations commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 revolution. [Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Mass protests toppled Iran's last shah in 1979 and replaced the monarchy with the Islamic Republic of Iran with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini serving as its first supreme leader. [Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Signs and chants at the demonstrations condemned Israel, which conducted a 12-day war against Iran in June, and the United States, which attacked three of Iran's key nuclear sites during the conflict and is threatening to attack again unless Tehran makes major concessions on its nuclear and missile programmes. [Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed Iranians from Azadi Square in Tehran and said the government is willing to negotiate over its nuclear programme while calling for national unity in the face of external threats. [Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
US President Donald Trump has moved an aircraft carrier, other ships and planes to the Middle East and has suggested sending another carrier while the US and Iran hold mediated talks and leaders in the Middle East worry about a regional war breaking out. [Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters]
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Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Addressing the crowds in Azadi Square, Pezeshkian called for solidarity among Iranians in the face of “conspiracies from imperial powers”. [Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
“We are standing together … in solidarity in the face of all conspiracies targeting our nation,” the president said, adding that the strength and unity of the Iranian people “gives rise to worry within our enemy”. [Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Tehran, Ali Akbar Dareini, a researcher at the Center for Strategic Studies, said Pezeshkian’s speech signalled Iran was “open to a fair and balanced deal with the United States”. [Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar said the commemorations took place at a critical moment for Iran as the country faces external threats and significant internal divisions. [Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters]
Iran marks the 47th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution
Fireworks light up the sky next to Milad Tower in Tehran to mark the revolution's 47th anniversary. [Atta Kenare/AFP]