TEHERAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran marked the 44th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution on Saturday with state-organised rallies, as anti-government hackers briefly interrupted a televised speech by President Ebrahim Raisi.

Mr Raisi, whose hardline government faces one of the boldest challenges from young protesters calling for its ouster, appealed to the “deceived youth” to repent so they can be pardoned by Iran’s supreme leader.

In that case, he told a crowd congregated at Teheran’s expansive Azadi Square, “the Iranian people will embrace them with open arms”.

His live televised speech was interrupted on the Internet for about a minute, with the screen showing the logo of a group of anti-Iranian government hackers that goes by the name of Edalate Ali (Justice of Ali), and a voice could be heard shouting: “Death to the Islamic Republic.”

Nationwide protests swept Iran following the death last September of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of the country’s morality police.

Security forces have responded with a deadly crackdown on the protests, which are among the strongest challenges to the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution ended 2,500 years of monarchy.

As part of an amnesty marking the revolution’s anniversary, the Iranian authorities on Friday released jailed dissident Farhad Meysami, who had been on a hunger strike, and Iranian-French academic Fariba Adelkhah.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had issued an amnesty covering a large number of prisoners, including some arrested in recent anti-government protests.

Rights group Hrana said dozens of political prisoners and protesters, including several prominent figures, had been freed under the amnesty, but the exact conditions of their release were not known.

Rights activists have expressed concern on social media that many may have been forced to sign pledges not to repeat their “offences” before being released. The judiciary denied this on Friday.

Hrana said that as at Friday, 528 protesters had been killed, including 71 minors. It said 70 members of the government security forces had also been killed. As many as 19,763 protesters are believed to have been arrested.

Iranian leaders and state media had for weeks appealed for a strong turnout at Saturday’s rallies as a show of solidarity and popularity in an apparent response to the protests.

On the anniversary’s eve on Friday night, state media showed fireworks as part of government-sponsored celebrations, and people chanting “Allahu akbar” (God is greatest).

However, many could be heard shouting “death to the dictator” and “death to the Islamic Republic” on videos posted on social media.

Reuters could not verify the social media posts independently.

Government television on Saturday aired live footage of the state rallies around the country.

In Teheran, domestic-made anti-ballistic missiles, a drone, an anti-submarine cruiser, and other military equipment were on display as part of the celebrations.

“People have realised that the enemy’s problem is not woman, life, or freedom,” Mr Raisi said, referring to the protesters’ signature slogan.

“Rather, they want to take our independence,” he said.

His speech was frequently interrupted by chants of “death to America” – a trademark slogan at state rallies. The crowd also chanted “death to Israel”.

Mr Raisi accused the “enemies” of promoting “the worst kind of vulgarity, which is homosexuality”.

Ms Adelkhah, who had been in prison since 2019, was one of seven French nationals detained in Iran, a factor that has worsened relations between Paris and Teheran in recent months.

She was sentenced in 2020 to five years in prison on national security charges. She was moved to house arrest later but was returned to jail in January. Ms Adelkhah has denied the charges against her.

Mr Meysami’s release came a week after supporters warned that he risked dying because of his hunger strike. He was arrested in 2018 for protesting against the compulsory wearing of the hijab.

In announcing Ms Adelkhah’s release on Friday, the French Foreign Ministry called for her freedom to be restored, “including returning to France if she wishes”.

“Legally, her file is considered completed, and legally there should be no problem to leave the country, but this issue has to be reviewed. So... it is not clear how long it will take,” said her lawyer, Mr Hojjat Kermani. REUTERS