Tehran, February 12 (RHC)-- Iran is one of the only countries in the world that is standing up to tyranny and oppression, says a political commentator, as Iranians marked 40 years since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The comments came as millions of Iranians took to the streets around the country to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Islamic Republic on Monday.

“I think we need to recognize that this is not just celebrating what happened 40 years ago, but the revolution has not really [stopped]; it is ongoing and that is what we should really celebrate,” Massoud Shadjareh, the head of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, told Press TV in an interview.

“The reality is that Iran is now undoubtedly one of the only nations which is standing against oppression, against tyranny, against colonialism, and for independence of people in line with Islam, in line with the wishes of Iranians, and in line with the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the people in the region and beyond,” he said, adding that that was the reason for the success of the Revolution.

He said people elsewhere in the world saw Iran as a role model and as their “only hope” against global arrogance.