Iran celebrated the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution on Sunday, as tensions continue to grip the wider Middle East due to Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Thousands of Iranians took part in marches throughout major streets and squares adorned with flags, balloons, and banners displaying revolutionary and religious slogans.

In Tehran, crowds brandished Iranian flags, chanted slogans, and carried placards bearing the traditional phrases "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." The burning of U.S. and Israeli flags also took place during pro-government rallies, a common occurrence in such gatherings. The processions began from various points in the city, converging at the iconic Azadi Square.

State TV coverage showed large crowds participating in rallies across several cities and towns, with claims of millions of participants nationwide. The celebrations featured a paratrooper jumping from a plane while proudly displaying a Palestinian flag. The event was attended by high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Ebrahim Raisi, who addressed the crowd in Azadi Square.

President Raisi used his speech, broadcasted by state TV, to urge the United Nations to expel "the Zionist regime," leading the crowd to chant "Death to Israel." Raisi also called for an immediate end to the bombing of Gaza. Other prominent figures present at the celebrations included General Mohammad Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and General Esmail Ghaani, head of the Revolutionary Guard's expeditionary force.

Meanwhile, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, head of the Judiciary body, attended the rally in the central city of Isfahan. The Iranian government ensured heavy security presence in major cities throughout the country.

This anniversary comes a month after a deadly attack by the extremist Islamic State group in the city of Kerman during a commemoration for a prominent Iranian general. Iran has attempted to blame the U.S. and Israel for the attack, as Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip persisted. In response, the Islamic Republic launched missile attacks on Iraq and Syria, targeting alleged anti-Iran Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl in nuclear-armed Pakistan, which retaliated with its own strikes on Iran.

In January, a drone attack in Jordan killed three U.S. troops, which the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group for Iran-backed factions, claimed responsibility for. The U.S. holds Tehran accountable for the attack, and Iran has warned of a decisive response to any U.S. aggression.

The Islamic Revolution initially unfolded as widespread unrest against the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The shah, suffering from terminal cancer, fled the country in January 1979. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned from exile, and after days of mass demonstrations and clashes between protesters and security forces, the government collapsed on February 11, 1979.

As tensions continue to escalate in the region, the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution serves as a symbolic reminder of Iran's ongoing struggle for independence and its opposition to perceived oppressors.