Khamenei skips annual Air Force meeting amid tension with US, breaks 37-year-old ritual
Zee News
The annual meeting commemorates February 8, 1979, when a group of air force officers pledged loyalty to Ruhollah Khomeini in a move to overthrow the Pahlavi dynasty. Khomeini was the founder of the Islamic Republic and the predecessor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader.
Amid rising US military presence in the Gulf, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly skips the annual February meeting with air force commanders, breaking his 37-year-old tradition.
According to Iran International, Khamenei has attended annual meeting every year since assuming leadership in 1989, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual meeting commemorates February 8, 1979, when a group of air force officers pledged loyalty to Ruhollah Khomeini in a move to overthrow the Pahlavi dynasty. Khomeini was the founder of the Islamic Republic and the predecessor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader.
Over the following four decades, the date evolved into a symbolic occasion, marked by annual meetings between air force personnel and commanders and Iran’s clerical leadership each year. As per the report this year, the chief of staff of the armed forces, Abdolrahim Mousavi attended the army force commanders on Sunday instead of Khamenei.
Khamenei’s absence comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, as the United States increases its military presence in the region and concerns grow over the possibility of a US strike against the Islamic Republic. Khamenei's decision to stay away is being interpreted as an effort to avoid potential security threats or as a result of his focus on sensitive national security matters.
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The annual meeting commemorates February 8, 1979, when a group of air force officers pledged loyalty to Ruhollah Khomeini in a move to overthrow the Pahlavi dynasty. Khomeini was the founder of the Islamic Republic and the predecessor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader.
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