Iranians mark epic December 30, 2009 anti-sedition rallies

People across Iran have participated in events marking the fourth anniversary of massive rallies on December 30, 2009 that put an end to months of unrest following the presidential election in the Islamic Republic that year.

Large numbers of people gathered at a major mosque in the capital, Tehran, on Monday, when the city’s interim Friday Prayer Leader Kazem Sediqqi delivered a speech to mark the epic demonstrations on December 30, 2009.

People poured out on the streets of Tehran and many other cities across Iran in their millions on December 30, 2009 in what proved to be the ultimate response to months of post-election unrest and a seditious movement.

“They (the people) sent a message to the world powers, clarifying that they always stand behind their leader and never let their country be a scene for foreign-backed scenarios,” said a woman, who took part in Monday’s events.

Back in 2009, the backers of two of the defeated candidates had claimed vote fraud and staged protests in the streets of Tehran and a few other cities, leading to dozens of deaths and scores of injuries.

The riots, supported by foreign powers, continued intermittently for nearly six months despite probes conducted by Iranian election authorities, concluding that no irregularities were found in the polling stations across the country.

“On Dey 9th (December 30, 2009) the two principles of the Islamic establishment were clearly seen; one was the presence of God and the other, the support of the people,” said religious researcher Ayatollah M. Qaemmaqami. “Fortunately, these two factors put an end to the sedition. On that day, many of those who had taken part in illegal post-election rallies confessed that they made mistakes in making allegations of vote fraud.”

The December 2009 mass rallies have thus emerged as a turning point and an epic in the history of Iran’s Islamic Revolution since so many Iranians demonstrated their unity in opposing the post-election unrest in the country and expressing support for the nation’s Islamic establishment and Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.