This comes as Iran has kicked off the annual celebrations marking the anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The nationwide celebrations start on the anniversary of the homecoming of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, Imam Khomeini, after several years of exile, and ends on the anniversary of the victory of the revolution.
Led by Imam Khomeini, the Islamic Revolution was driven by anti-imperialist sentiments since former Iranian monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was heavily dependent on Western powers, not least the United States.
People sought to establish a new political system that was based on their will and Islamic values – and that was the Islamic Republic.
This year, authorities in charge of the 10-day ceremonies say no mass gatherings will be allowed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The occasion is marked without mass celebrations but organizers say the message is the same.
Instead of public celebrations, the Mehrabad Airport hosted a motorcycle parade by Iran’s armed forces through the route Imam Khomeini took from the airport in 1979 as millions of people flocked to the streets to welcome him.
To Iranians, the 10-day ‘dawn’ period is reminiscent of their struggle for independence. This has echoed through the decades and has been heard by generations.