Iran's Khamenei Hosts Hamas Leaders Amid Celebration of Revolution Anniversary

In a striking act of defiance, a woman in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city, stripped naked and jumped onto a police car during a protest against the country's conservative hijab regulations. The incident, captured in a viral video shared by journalist Masih Alinejad, shows the woman yelling at law enforcement officers while perched on the car's windshield. Witnesses reported that a male officer appeared hesitant to intervene due to her nakedness. According to local media, the woman’s husband claimed she has since been taken into care. This demonstration follows the passage of a controversially strict "chastity and hijab" bill in December 2024, which proposed severe penalties for women displaying their hair or skin in public. The legislation sparked international backlash and was subsequently put on hold. Such protests are part of broader dissent in Iran, ignited by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a woman killed for allegedly violating dress codes, leading to widespread calls for women's rights and freedoms.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with top Hamas officials in Tehran on February 8, 2025, as reported by Iranian state TV. The Palestinian delegation, which included acting Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, expressed their gratitude for Iran's ongoing support for their cause during the meeting, held to celebrate the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian revolution. Khamenei commended Hamas for "defeating the Zionist regime," framing this as a broader victory against U.S. influence. "You did not allow them to achieve any of their goals," he stated, highlighting the group's resilience in the ongoing conflict with Israel. The delegation also presented Khamenei with a report on the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, detailing successes achieved under challenging circumstances. In response to U.S. threats against Iran, Khamenei emphasized that such pressures “have no effect on the mindset of our nation," reaffirming Iran's commitment to supporting Hamas and its agenda.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards unveiled the country’s first drone carrier, named Martyr Bahman Bagheri, during a ceremony on February 6, 2025. This project, described by naval commander Alireza Tangsiri as the "largest naval military project" in the Islamic Republic's history, repurposes a commercial vessel into a military asset over two and a half years. The carrier can launch long-range missiles, carry up to 60 drones, and is equipped for electronic warfare, capable of remaining at sea for up to a year. During the unveiling, Guards chief Hossein Salami emphasized that Iran does not seek to threaten others but insisted the nation would not succumb to threats. This military display coincided with the Fajr decade, a ten-day celebration of the Islamic Revolution. The unveiling follows recent military shows of strength by Iran, including the introduction of a new ballistic missile with a range of 1,700 kilometers, as tensions with the U.S. continue. According to IRNA, the state news agency, this initiative highlights Iran’s ongoing development of sophisticated military capabilities since the 1979 revolution.