46 years since Islamic Revolution, Palestine still at the heart of Iran's foreign policy 

By Iqbal Jassat 

As a remarkable testament to the resilience of a people who pulled off one of the most outstanding and popular socio-political movements in modern history, the Islamic Republic of Iran celebrated the 46th anniversary of the victory of its Islamic Revolution last week. 

From Warsaw to Cairo and from Pretoria to capitals around the globe that have diplomatic relations with Iran, events marking the commemoration of the revolution signaled not only the strength and stability of the Islamic Republic but also the strategic value of such ties. 

Equally remarkable is that the bedrock of Iran's foreign policy as encapsulated by the iconic leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini (RA) at the dawn of the historic revolution from a repressive and pompous Western client-regime led by the Shah, to a popular mass-based Islamic Republic, has remained steadfast. 

A resounding message reaffirming Iran's unwavering commitment to Palestine's freedom struggle - forming this bedrock - was heard loudly during these commemorations. 

Far from being merely symbolic, it was noteworthy and strategic that Iran's ambassadors found it essential to honor the memory of the martyrs of the Palestinian resistance movement. 

They emphasized that the ceasefire agreement between the Gaza-based Hamas resistance group and the occupying Zionist regime marked a decisive victory for the resistance who courageously withstood fifteen months of horror, devastation and mass slaughter. 

Despite the suffering and pain caused by the genocide and multiple forced displacements, the resilience, courage and steadfastness of Palestinians echoed the decades of struggle Iranians waged against Western powers and their fake "Peacock Thrones". 

Much to the dismay of the Israeli regime, which along with the United States and unelected Arab despots had waged countless campaigns to impose so-called "regime change" in Tehran, the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution defined a pivotal moment in Iran's history. 

The successful revolution saw the emergence of an era based on independence, freedom and justice. As it traversed close to five decades of hostility, war and sanctions, Iranians can be proud of their enormous progress in various fields. 

Studies by UNESCO confirm that there has been exponential growth in knowledge-based firms and start-ups, which it attributes to heightened domestic demand combined with the multiplication of technology incubators and accelerators since the launch of the country’s first public innovation centers in 2015.

Undoubtedly the pace of growth in science and technology is due to the government policies, unlike the stagnancy that existed during the era of the Shah before 1979. 

In addition, in a recent article, Italian economist Giancarlo Elia Valori was clear that with time since the Islamic Revolution, a big step has been taken towards the autonomy of various institutions in the Persian Gulf country, including universities.

"Increasing the number and improving the quality of universities has been one of the main measures implemented since the first half of the 1980s", wrote Valori. 

Beyond this and against the background of Israel’s fixation on undermining and destroying Iran's revolutionary gains, not excluding regime change,  the Islamic Republic has developed a highly sophisticated drone and missile industry. 

Given such malevolent hostilities, it is necessary to understand that Tehran regards drone and missile technology as crucial to resist and challenge both American and Israeli hegemonic ambitions within Iran and the wider West Asia region. 

Iran's successful ousting of a well-armed American stooge has meant that the world's so-called "superpower" - now in the hands of an erratic, unpredictable moron called Donald Trump - will do its best to undermine and reverse the gains of the Islamic Revolution.

Since Trump's re-occupation of the White House, Washington has reinstated its “maximum pressure” policy on Tehran but also signaled a willingness to reopen nuclear negotiations.

However during his commemoration speech, Iran's Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei rejected any prospect of talks, stating, "Negotiating with such a government should not be done; it is neither wise, intelligent, nor honorable."

“The Americans sit and redraw the map of the world— but only on paper, as it has no basis in reality,” he declared.

Hamas leaders who participated in the 46th-anniversary celebrations congratulated Ayatollah Khamenei and expressed gratitude for Iran's continued support.

Iran’s leader received Mohammed Darwish, chairman of Hamas's Shura Council, Khalil al-Hayya, acting Hamas leader, and Zaher Jabarin, Hamas leader in the Occupied West Bank, among other officials on the eve of the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Ayatollah Khamenei described the ceasefire agreement as a great achievement and called on the Muslim world and all supporters of the resistance to help reduce the pain and suffering of Palestinians. 

To reaffirm Iran's unconditional solidarity and support for Palestine's freedom struggle, which has been a fundamental pillar of the country’s foreign policy since the 1979 Revolution, he made it clear: "The issue of Palestine is a main matter for us and Palestine's victory is a definite issue."

Iqbal Jassat is an executive member of Media Review Network, Johannesburg, South Africa.

(The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Press TV)

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