Iran’s supreme leader skips air force ceremony for first time in three decades

For the first time in 37 years, commanders of Iran’s Army Air Force did not meet Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for their annual allegiance ceremony, instead meeting with Hassan Khomeini, the grandson of the Islamic Republic’s founder, on February 8.

The annual meeting traditionally coincides with the anniversary of February 8, 1979, when a group of Air Force officers pledged loyalty to Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. Since then, the event has served as a symbolic affirmation of the military’s loyalty to Iran’s supreme leadership. Khamenei, who became Supreme Leader in 1989, has observed the ritual every year, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, Caliber.Az reports via Iranian media. 

This year’s deviation comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, alongside an expanded U.S. military presence in the region. Officials have not publicly explained Khamenei’s absence.

By Sabina Mammadli