Iranians rally to mark anniversary of revolution

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on the streets Sunday to mark the 39th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, just weeks after antigovernment protests rocked cities across the country.

Demonstrators burned American and Israeli flags, as well as images of President Donald Trump, whose refusal to re-certify the nuclear deal with world powers has riled Iranians.

The anniversary marks the overthrow of U.s.-backed Iranian Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. That began a period of hostilities between Iran and the West, including an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the hostage crisis.

But President Hassan Rouhani made a point to call for unity among Iran’s people across its political spectrum, from hardliners backing the theocratic government to reformists demanding change.