TEHRAN – The International Conference on Resistance diplomacy was held in Tehran on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of former President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The event gathered the families of the fallen leaders, senior officials from the 13th and 14th administrations, cabinet ministers, and the heads of Iran’s executive and judicial branches.

Opening the conference at the Summit Hall, Hojjatoleslam Mostafa Rostami, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution’s representative to Iranian universities, said late President Raisi “embodied tireless dedication and humility” at a time when certain factions were trying to fabricate a divide between the people and the authorities. He emphasized late Raisi’s deep and constant commitment to the cause of Resistance.

Additionally, Jamileh Alamolhoda, wife of the late President Raisi, called on officials of the 14th administration to remain committed to the principles of the Islamic Republic. Speaking on behalf of the martyrs’ families, she urged them to “defend the independence of the Islamic Republic with strength and determination.”

Truth must be the measure: President Pezeshkian

Iran’s new President, Masoud Pezeshkian, delivered a keynote speech calling for principled leadership: “We must not unjustly pursue our own factions, wealth, ethnicity, or positions. We must make truth our criterion.”

He paid tribute to late Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian, saying, “These martyrs of public service gave their lives for justice and the people, leaving the nation and the Muslim world in deep mourning.”

Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian were voices of Islam on the global stage: Hamas official

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan praised the international role of both martyrs, declaring that “Palestine was a daily concern for Martyr Raisi,” and that “his diplomacy at the United Nations was a defense of Islam that carried the voice of the ummah to the world.”

He added that late Amir-Abdollahian acted immediately after the start of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, successfully countering U.S. interference and framing the operation as a legitimate form of resistance. “He gave a new meaning to diplomacy,” Hamdan noted.

He also declared that the Zionist regime’s defeat in the first and second phases of the “True Promise” operations proved its fragility: “This regime cannot even protect itself, let alone others. Gaza remains defiant—besieged but unbroken. While the enemy starves children and bombs civilians, the world remains silent.”

Martyrs died for a cause—we must uphold it: Judiciary chief Ejei

Judiciary Chief Hojjatoleslam Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei reflected on the legacy of the martyrs, asking, “Why do we honor martyrs?” His answer: “To understand the cause they gave their lives for, and to continue along their path.”

He criticized the West, particularly the United States, for manipulating international law to justify its crimes. “The arrogant powers portray the defense of innocent people as illegitimate, while legitimizing their own support for criminals. This hypocrisy must be exposed,” he said.

On May 19, 2024, a devastating helicopter crash shook Iran to its core, enveloping the nation in sorrow.

This heart-wrenching incident resulted in the loss of Iranian President Raisi and all individuals aboard, casting a profound shadow over the country.

President Raeisi and his accompanying delegation were returning from a ceremony to inaugurate a dam on the Aras River with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.