February 13, The Iran Project -�Iranian people from all backgrounds poured into the streets nationwide to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, renewing their allegiance to the ideals of the Revolution at a time of growing economic and political pressure amid the re-imposition of US brutal sanctions against the nation.

Every year on Feb. 11 (the 22nd day of the month of Bahman in the Iranian calendar), the Iranian nation turns out in droves to highlight support for the Revolution which replaced the US-backed regime of Pahlavi with the Islamic Republic.

The event is also known as Ten-Day Dawn to commemorate the period of protests following February 1, 1979, the return of Imam Khomeini from exile. It also marks the official end of the 2,500 years of the�monarchical rule.

Last year, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 internationally-endorsed nuclear agreement with Iran and re-imposed its toughest sanctions ever, in a move which is viewed as a regime change attempt against the Islamic Republic.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton had said the outcome of the country's policy review should be to determine that Iran's Revolution would not last until its 40th birthday. "And that�s why, before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran!" he had told a convention of the terrorist MKO group in Paris in 2017.

US officials have adopted an extremely hostile policy toward Iran under the Trump administration, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pledging to "starve" Iranians until they give in to American demands.

Despite all American dreams, millions of demonstrators in many cities braved the cold weather on Feb. 11 as they descended on main crossroads to renew their allegiance to the country's Islamic principles at a time of rising US-led economic and political pressure.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) put a number of its ballistic missiles on display on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Some ceremonies marking 40th victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution�were also held�in many countries including Slovenia, Russia, Lebanon, and Kazakhstan.

Iran vows to continue missile program�

Amid rain and snow that covered parts of the Iranian capital, demonstrators marched through major streets carrying anti-US and Saudi banners and signs while chanting "Death to America".

In a speech, which was more defiant and focused on Iran�s independence and military achievements than in past years,�Iranian President Hassan Rouhani�addressed the marchers�gathered at Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square on Feb. 11 and dismissed US efforts to isolate Tehran and said US sanctions could not break the Islamic Republic.

"The presence of people today on the streets all over Islamic Iran ... means that the enemy will never reach its evil objectives," Rouhani said, adding that the country will continue to pursue its missile program�to defend the country from external threats.

"We have not asked, and will never ask for permission in developing our missile arsenal as we continue to pursue our path to military might."

Rouhani also recounted how Iran had lost large portions of its territory in the last 200 years, giving specifics and the date of each region�s losses under the Qajar and Pahlavi monarchies.

"Islamic Revolution�s 40th anniversary means 40 years of failed US policy"

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif minced no words while listing the United States� failures over the past 40 years after US President Donald Trump shares his perception of Iran�s performance during the same period.

�40 Years of Failure to accept that Iranians will never return to submission. 40 Years of Failure to adjust US policy to reality. 40 Years of Failure to destabilize Iran through blood & treasure,� Zarif tweeted, adding "After 40 yrs of wrong choices, time for Donald Trump to rethink failed US policy."

World leaders congratulate Islamic Republic 40th anniversary

Representatives of several countries to the United Nations�participated in a ceremony at Iran�s office in the UN to extend their congratulations on the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Most of the UN Security Council member states, ambassadors of Arab and neighboring, European, African and Asian countries, alongside some representatives of the UN attended the ceremony.

The large attendance took place while US President Donald Trump has done a great deal to isolate Iran and maximize pressure on Iranian people.

Nakhchivan,�Brunei, Azerbaijan, Iraq, and Hezbollah are among those offered congratulations over the Islamic Revolution anniversary.

Foreign media provide extensive coverage of Feb. 11 rallies

The New York Times reported that this year�s marches "seemed larger, despite the uninviting weather."

�Braving a drenching rain, Iranians came out in droves on Monday to march up Revolution Street to the capital�s Freedom Monument, including families pushing strollers decorated with balloons in the red, white and green of the country�s flag, clerics, teenagers and others, for a huge state-backed rally commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution,� it added.

Channel NewsAsia said that "vast crowds" had poured out into the streets to commemorate the event.

�The routes leading up to the square were packed with people as loudspeakers blared revolutionary anthems and slogans. Life-size replicas of Iranian-made cruise and ballistic missiles stood in a statement of defiance after the US last year reimposed sanctions following its withdrawal from a deal on Tehran�s nuclear program,� read a report on its website.

ABC News reported that Iran�s streets had been filled with �huge crowds� marking the Islamic Revolution anniversary.

�Much to the dismay of America, the revolution has reached its 40th year,� it cited a banner as reading.

�Iranians thronged streets across the country, many with portraits of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Shiite cleric who toppled the Shah in the historic Islamic uprising. State TV showed crowds defying rainy weather and carrying Iranian flags while shouting anti-Israeli and anti-US slogans,� the report said.

Iran�s U-turn: From neo-colonialism to genuine independence

Apart from the internal changes, the events of 1979 in Iran had a tremendous impact on regional and international politics.

Through the revolution, Iran �demonstrated to the world that it will stand up to what they define as the imperialists in the West, particularly the United States,� Alexander Azadgan, senior geopolitical analyst and editor-at-large with Imperia News, said. The revolution was �one of the most successful movements in the colonised world to get genuine independence� from Western forms of neocolonialism,� the observer told Sputnik.

�This revolution really stirred the Middle East like nothing has in a few centuries actually,� Azadgan stressed.