Standing under fire

This year’s Quds Day was unlike any other. The march was held while dear Iran was engaged in battle with the Zionist regime and its master, the United States. The day before, in his first message addressed to the nation, Imam Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution had emphasized:

The effective presence [of the Iranian people] on the scene must be maintained – either in the manner you’ve shown during these days and nights of the war or in various instrumental forms such as participation in various social, political, educational, cultural, and even security spheres. What matters is that correct roles be properly understood and implemented to the greatest extent possible without harming the unity of the society. One of the responsibilities of the Leader and certain other officials is to remind the public or various segments of society of some of these roles. For this reason, I emphasize the importance of participating in this year’s [1447 AH/2026 AD] Quds Day rallies, where the spirit of wanting to crush the enemy must be the focus of everyone’s attention.

But the strength and resilience of Iran rest, above all else, on the vigilance and courage of this very nation. On this critical and unique day, they turned it into one of the most memorable days in Iran’s contemporary history. This million-strong and epic presence in the capital and hundreds of large and small cities across the country was also a heartfelt response to the call of the new Leader of the Islamic Revolution. The courageous Iranian nation proved that on this path it has no fear of taking risks and stepping into the field.

The peak of this epic moment came when, in the midst of the magnificent and enemy-defying march in Tehran, the enemy attacked once again, and during these attacks one of the participants was martyred. The blood of Mrs. Maryam al-Sadat Rafigh was shed on the ground as testimony that this nation is “in love with the jihad against Israel.” The exact location of her martyrdom is also striking and thought-provoking: the intersection of Enghelab-e Eslami (Islamic Revolution) Street and Palestine Street.

Some may think that such a martyrdom in such a place is merely coincidence. But for those of us who believe that not even a leaf falls from a tree without God’s permission, the spilling of an Iranian woman’s blood at such a point is undoubtedly a sign, one that should not and cannot be easily overlooked.

Today’s presence of the people cannot be analyzed within the frame of a simple march. The millions of brave Iranians who came into the streets under fire today consciously stepped into the arena of battle and defense. They knew that coming out could even cost them their lives. But when ideals and homeland are at stake, and when the enemy before them has trampled every boundary of humanity and will retreat only before the firm fist of resistance, what is there to fear?

Today the people proved that the chants of “Down with USA” and “Down with Israel” are not empty or repetitive slogans devoid of identity. These slogans are a defense of independence, honor, life, and humanity on a global scale. The fasting marchers of Iran, through their enemy-defying presence today, guaranteed the victory of the front of humanity over the front of devils.