Iran’s Resistance Units mark 1979 anniversary with a clear message: neither shah nor mullahs

2026-02-16 - 10:56

As the Iranian regime staged state-sanctioned events to mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 anti-monarchical revolution, the true spirit of that historic movement was visible not in government rallies, but in the daring activities of the PMOI Resistance Units. On February 14 and 15, organized teams across the country carried out extensive anti-regime activities, reiterating a dual message: the rejection of the current clerical dictatorship and a firm refusal to return to the monarchical dictatorship of the past. The activities, which spanned major metropolitan areas including Tehran, Mashhad, Shiraz, Isfahan, and Tabriz, come in the wake of the bloody January 2026 uprising. This recent wave of protests has signaled that the countdown to the regime’s overthrow has begun. While the mullahs attempt to co-opt the legacy of the 1979 revolution, the Resistance Units emphasized that the revolution’s original goals—freedom and independence—are alive only in the rebellious youth who are shaking the foundations of the theocracy today. February 15—Iran PMOI Resistance Units mark the 47th anniversary of the 1979 revolution with anti-regime activities. The Resistance Units reiterated their rejection of both the mullahs' and shah dictatorships and their commitment to the establishment of a democratic republic.... pic.twitter.com/HWtOfDCiYE — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 16, 2026 Visuals of leadership and resistance In a display of defiance against the regime’s surveillance apparatus, Resistance Units projected images of Iranian Resistance leadership in public spaces. In Tehran’s Sarv Street, an image of Maryam Rajavi was projected with the message, “The freedom movement of Iran will not return to the winter of the shah and mullahs.” Similarly, in Bojnurd’s Horr Street, an image of Massoud Rajavi accompanied the text: “The slogan ‘Down with the tyrant, be it the shah or the supreme leader’ equates to the rejection of dictatorship and foreign dependence.” These visual displays were complemented by slogans broadcast in public areas on February 14. On Tehran’s Imam Ali Highway, the slogan “Democracy, freedom, with Maryam Rajavi” rang out, while in Mashhad, broadcasts declared, “The first and last message is regime overthrow.” Bojnurd—Horr Street Image of Massoud Rajavi with the message: "The slogan 'Down with the tyrant, be it the shah or the supreme leader' equates to the rejection of dictatorship and foreign dependence, and it is roadblock against tyranny and colonialism." pic.twitter.com/41wE2MHp52 — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 16, 2026 A unified stance against all dictators The defining theme of the February activities was the clarification of the Iranian people’s political will. Banners, posters, and graffiti installed in cities ranging from Karaj and Babol to Bandar Abbas and Zahedan carried the unifying slogan: “Down with the oppressor, be it the shah or the supreme leader.” This slogan serves as a strategic roadblock against tyranny, emphasizing that the people, having experienced the torture chambers of the Shah’s SAVAK and the mullahs’ IRGC, have no desire to swap one form of despotism for another. The 1979 revolution was a genuine national movement hijacked by Khomeini due to a leadership vacuum created when the Shah imprisoned true democratic leaders, including the leaders of the PMOI. Today, however, the situation is different. The people possess an organized resistance determined to establish a democratic republic. Babol "Down with the oppressor, be it the shah or the supreme leader" pic.twitter.com/NX7aFIjFDE — People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) February 16, 2026 The path to a democratic republic The activities of the Resistance Units underscore a commitment to the roadmap outlined by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). This plan calls for the formation of a Constituent Assembly within six months of the regime’s overthrow to draft a new constitution, ensuring the restoration of popular sovereignty. As slogans in Isfahan and Mashhad declared “Dictators be damned,” the Resistance Units have made it clear: the revolution of 1979 did not die; it has matured into a powerful, organized movement that will inevitably triumph over the mullahs without returning to the past.