Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Egyptians and welcomed a “new Middle East, without the Zionist regime and U.S. interference” in a speech to people gathered in Tehran's Azadi Square to celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Iranian revolution. “It is your right to be free. It is your right to exercise your will and sovereignty,” Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying. He also implied that the recent uprisings in the Middle East, notable Tunisia and Egypt's successful overthrow of long-time dictators, were inspired by Iran's struggle against Western powers. During a sermon in Tehran, Ayatollah Kazem Sadiqi congratulated both the Egyptian and Iranian nations: “The Iranian nation for its Islamic Revolution 32 years ago and the Egyptians for their enlightenment for taking inspiration from the Iranian Islamic Revolution,” the LA Time quoted him as saying. “We expect the clergymen in Egypt and the scholars… to monitor and be vigilant not to let the uprisings be deviated from the Islamic path,” he added. Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi also congratulated the Egyptians. “We congratulate the great nation of Egypt on this victory and we share their happiness,” he said in a statement released to Iranian news agencies. “Today, our people in their millions, while honoring the great Islamic Revolution, showed their solidarity with the brave and justice-seeking movement in Egypt,” he added. Many Iranians gathered in Tehran and in other cities around the country on Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of their 1979 revolution. According to the New York Times, usual chants calling for “death to America” and “death to Israel” were joined by a new chant this year: “death to Mubarak.” BM
