Washington DC [US], March 19 (ANI): Iran's exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi has called on Iranians to honour what he called the 'heroes' of the country's struggle for freedom, saying the nation's desire for liberty 'shall never be extinguished.'

In a post on X, Pahlavi on Wednesday addressed Iranians after the traditional fire festival of 'Chaharshanbe-Suri', praising people who marked the occasion despite being 'in the face of threat and repression.'

https://x.com/PahlaviReza/status/2034292316089831800

'My brave compatriots,' Pahlavi said. ' Salutations to you who, on the night of Chaharshanbe-Suri, stood steadfast and united in the face of threat and repression, and kept the ancient flame of Iran alight.'

'You demonstrated that our national will is unconquerable, and that the flame of liberty and devotion to our beloved homeland shall never be extinguished,' he added.

Pahlavi also urged people to visit the graves of what he called the 'eternal heroes' of the 'Lion and Sun Revolution and all champions of Iran's freedom'.

'Now, on this last Thursday of the year, I call upon you to visit the resting places of the eternal heroes of the Lion and Sun Revolution and all champions of Iran's freedom, and to show your solidarity with their families,' he said.

Referring to the upcoming Persian New Year, Nowruz, Pahlavi said Iranians should renew their commitment to reclaim the country.

'On the eve of Norooz, we renew our promise to the brave sons and daughters of Iran: our promise to reclaim Iran, our promise to bring glory to our homeland, and our promise to build a future that is free, prosperous, and bright, ' he said.

'Long live Iran,' he added.

Earlier, a funeral ceremony was underway in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official, Ali Larijani, and head of the Basij forces, Major General Gholamreza Soleimani, according to the Iranian state media Press TV.

According to Press TV, Iran is holding funerals for Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, as well as for the slain sailors of the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena.

The ceremony is taking place in Tehran as the country mourns the loss of top officials and sailors.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had asserted that the political infrastructure of the nation remains a 'very solid structure' and will not suffer a 'fatal blow to Iran's leadership' following the confirmed killing of Ali Larijani.

'I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions,' Araghchi said.

The Foreign Minister emphasised that the 'presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure.' He noted that while 'individuals are influential, and each person plays their role--some better, some worse, some less--but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure.'

Araghchi highlighted the earlier loss of the country's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial phase of US-Israeli strikes on 28 February. He remarked that despite the immense national loss, 'the system continued' to function.

Araghchi reiterated that the escalating conflict across the region was not initiated by Tehran. 'I will repeat: This war is not our war,' the minister stated. 'We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences of this war--human and financial--whether for Iran, for the region, or for the entire world,' Araghchi said, adding that 'the United States must be held accountable.' (ANI)