Iranians mock US sailors on revolution anniversary
Annual celebration includes parades calling for the destruction of Israel and the United States, as well as reenactments of the recent incident in which Iran humiliated American sailors.
Iran celebrated on Thursday the 37th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, marking it with a reenactment of US sailors' humiliation and the traditional annual displays of hatred.
Quds Force commander Qasem Solemaini – "the king of terror" – and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani participated in Tehran parades. One of the parades showcased a long-range Imad missile.
Iranian media outlets emphasized shouts calling for the death of the Saudi regime heard during the parades alongside time-honored calls to destroy the United States and Israel. While anti-Saudi sentiments have been heard before, they are particularly noticeable this year, as tensions between the two nations have significantly increased lately – leading them to break diplomatic ties. Iranian media outlets attributed protester's chants to crimes allegedly committed by a corrupt Saudi regime.
Iran's Mehr news agency reported that millions in Tehran in throughout Iran celebrated despite cold weather. The Islamic Republic News Agency claimed celebrations were occurring in more than 1,000 cities and 4,000 villages, covered by more than 5,200 journalists and photographers. It also reported that more than 450 international guests were participating in celebrating, including scientists and political figures, including Louis Farrakhan, leader of US organization Nation of Islam.
Public Iranian television on Wednesday aired footage showing an American sailor crying and wiping away tears, over a month after the original photos of American sailors in Iranian custody were published.
The Ayatollah regime has been working hard to gain a propaganda advantage from the incident in which the Revolutionary Guard took hold of two American Navy patrol boats that accidently drifted into Iranian waters in January.
A short while after the photos were published, Iranian state TV showed a video of the captive force's commander speaking. He apologized for entering Iran's territorial waters, and thanked the Iranians for "your hospitality and your assistance."
Iran's supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with the Revolutionary Guard officers in charge of capturing the American vessels, congratulating them for their actions.
