PEOPLE`S POWER AT IRAN`S 30TH ISLAMIC REVOLUTION ANNIVERSARY

By Nor Faridah Abd Rashid

TEHRAN, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- There were no cultural performances, children
parading in colourful attire nor colourful floats when the Islamic Republic of
Iran celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution last Tuesday.

All these events, which are almost always associated with a nation's
anniversary celebration, were absent in Tehran but the hundreds of thousands of
Iranians who converged at the Azadi (Freedom) Square to celebrate their
anniversary made the occasion much more memorable.

They came in droves to listen to their President's speech, or to just enjoy
a public outing amidst the cool morning air. Men, women in chador, children and
babies in strollers gathered around the Azadi Tower, the symbol which marks the
gateway to Iran's capital city, and were greeted with versus from the Quran and
patriotic songs.

These people had marched from four different directions around Tehran
towards the Azadi tower carrying pictures of the much loved Supreme leader
Ayatollah Khomeini, who had led the revolution in 1979 and died in 1989, and
slogans on placards proudly proclaiming 30 years of freedom.

Many also held placards way up high with "Death to America" slogans,
depicting Iran's rather hostile relationship with the United States after the
1979 Islamic Revolution.

They made their way to the 50-metre tall tower, which was built in 1971 to
commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire. It was previously
known as Shahyad Tower (Rememberance of the Shahs (Kings) but dubbed Azadi after
the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

The tower is the symbol for the country's revival and a reminder to the
younger generation of Iran's modern achievements.

Among the crowd was 74 year old Fatemeh Jamaliyan, who felt that the
revolution of 1979, which ousted the pro-American Shah of Iran and replaced him
with the anti-American Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, was "something good".

"I feel so good about the revolution. The revolution is for the future," she
said to Bernama, adding that she never misses the celebration at Azadi Square.

For 12-year old Ramin Cheraghi, the celebration gave him an opportunity to
show his sympathy to the Gaza people.

"I come here to say congratulations to our country and to show my sympathy
for the people of Gaza. If we are together we can defeat Israel."

For translator Samaneh Tooh, it was her first experience being at the Azadi
Square and mingling with the hundreds of thousands of people who took time off
to celebrate the occasion, she was clearly overwhelmed by the event.

"I have seen the celebration on television but this is the first time I am
here and there are lots and lots of people," said the 25-year old.

When it was time for the president to make his speech, some waited
anxiously, curious to know the context of his speech, some were nonchalant,
while some were seen enjoying small talks among themselves or singing patriotic
songs.

And it was before this crowd of people in the cool morning of Feb 10 that
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that Iran was safe from any
foreign military threat since the country had become a responsible superpower.

"Today, I officially declare that Iran has become a real and righteous
superpower, and the shadow of threats over Iran has been removed forever," he
was quoted as saying by Tehran Times.

The president also took the opportunity at the rally to speak his mind about
the relationship between Iran and the US which had turned hostile after the 1979
Iran revolution.

Ahmadinejad, who feels that former US President George Bush is a "very rude
person" had some positive words for the new administration under President
Barrack Obama, saying that Iran was ready for a dialogue if talks were held in a
fair atmosphere with mutual respect.

This was his first response to Obama's announcement that the US was looking
for opportunities for "face-to-face dialogue with Iran after nearly three
decades without diplomatic ties.

"There's been a lot of mistrust built up over the years, so it's not
going to happen overnight" CNN quoted Obama as saying during his first press
conference recently.

Iran's political analyst Seid Amir Mosavi said with Obama helming America,
there were some new hopes, pointing out that Ahmadinejad had even congratulated
Obama when he became president.

"Obama is a man of policy, a moderate politician. He can bring things
together," he told women journalists from various countries who were invited to
take part in a programme organised by Iran's Islamic Culture and Relations
Organisation (ICRO) in conjunction with the republic's 30th anniversary of the
Islamic revolution.

The countries were Algeria, Kuwait, Croatia, Kenya, Indonesia, Japan, South
Africa, Britain, Tajikistan and Malaysia.

As for Bush, the former pesident had sent "different messages" to Iran, he
said. "Bush said the US will attack Iran and President Ahmadinejad had responded
strongly. Actually Bush is afraid to attack Iran and his dreams of attacking
Iran will be brought into his grave."

Thirty years after the Islamic revolution, Iran has much to show off,
especially in the field of science and technology. It just launched its first
domestically manufactured satellite called Omid (hope) into orbit on Feb 2,
which became the pride of the Muslim world.

The satellite, carried on a Safir-2 rocket, is meant for telecommunications
and research purposes and Iran is now one of the only eight countries that
possess the complete cycle of launch pad, rocket reception station and
satellite.

Obviously proud of Iran's acheivement, Ahmadinejad said that "belittlement,
threats and monopolisation of science are the arrogant powers' means to dominate
nations, but the Iranians people have surpassed all these obstacles and are now
filled with self confidence".

"Today the world is about to entre the era of logic, thought, and dialogue,
and the era of force and domination is over," he was quoted as saying by Tehran
Times.
-- BERNAMA