Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi made a speech Friday for the anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, which caused widespread change throughout his country - including severing its ties with Israel. Raisi, called "the Butcher of Tehran" by some, made an optimistic speech about his country's future to mark the occasion, telling the crowd that, "Iran cannot be controlled." Although he did not explicitly mention Israel, his audience interrupted him multiple times with anti-Israel shouts.
Mako reports that those in attendance shouted, "Death to America, Death to Israel" - calls that have been heard in the country frequently since the 1979 revolution - and also added the newer slogan, "Death to England." The celebrations also included burning the flags of the countries in question and several more aggressive chants. Raisi's speech, as well as spontaneous demonstrations in the streets, were broadcast live.
Raisi did not explicitly mention Israel but said: "We need to look at all the countries in the world and their capabilities, especially in our region." He added: "We strive for good relations with the countries in this region. If there are troubles here, they are due to external intervention."
He said Iran relied solely on its economic power and did not expect overseas support or reinforcement due to the ongoing negotiations regarding its nuclear program. Negotiations regarding the Iranian nuclear program went on a ten-day hiatus before indirect negotiations were resumed, but the Iranians' increasingly resolute position makes it unlikely that an agreement will be reached.
The Iranian President's message is one that the United States will not be happy to hear, as talks on the nuclear deal near their turning points.
"We have never relied on these talks," Raisi insisted. "We rely on the East, West, North, and South, on all parts of our country, but never in Vienna or New York. Our hopes depend on Allah and our people." Raisi also mocked his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, saying: "Our foreign policy is balanced, and the view of the West has made it unbalanced in the past."
An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman also issued a statement for the occasion: "Our country has sacrificed much to preserve our values and ideals. Forty-three years ago the struggle for self-determination and a free and independent Iran ended in victory. We will not compromise on our decision to uphold Iran's rights and interests."
US President Joe Biden this week pressured Iran to renew the previous nuclear agreement and said that if no compromise is reached in the coming weeks, it will be "impossible" to return to the agreement. On the other hand, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov estimated that it will take a long time until the agreement can be renewed - the same document from which former US President Donald Trump removed his signature in 2018.