TEHRAN (Noyan Tapan)National Democratic Union chairman and former presidential candidate Vazgen Manoukian arrived in Tehran Sunday and took part in the 18th anniversary celebrations of the Islamic Revolution the next day.
Manoukian is was also scheduled to meet with Iranian officials and representatives of the Armenian community in Iran. He plans to visit the city of Esfahan.
Approximately one million people marched to Tehran’s Liberty Square early Monday morning chanting anti-US and anti-Israeli slogans and carrying scarecrows symbolizing the United States.
Iranian Air Force helicopters scattered leaflets with quotations from speeches made by Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and the country’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Seid Ali Khamenei.
Speaking before the large crowd–President Rafsanjani said that the world should realize that rallies and demonstrations throughout Iran are being attended by millions of people–and that these rallies demonstrate the devotion of the people of Iran to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution.
The citizens of Iran witnessed the efficiency of the Islamic laws in the economic development of the country–in its domestic and foreign policies and in the protection of national independence and freedom of the people–Rafsanjani said–announcing his country’s aspirations to create an exemplary Islamic civilization in the next 25 years.
The celebrations were attended by high ranking officials from the Iranian military–religious leaders–members of the foreign diplomatic corps and representatives of the religious minorities of Iran.
