Iranians celebrated on Saturday the 38th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic.

Thirty eight years ago, Iranians voted for the establishment of the Islamic Republic following the overthrow of Iran's U.S.-backed Shah regime.

Back then and after the 1979 victory of Iranians' Islamic revolution, in a referendum over 98.2 percent of the Iranians voted "yes" to the establishment of an Islamic Republic system.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said on this occasion that "the Islamic Republic Day is an unparalleled juncture in our country's history as it ushered in a both popular and divine establishment for the first time since the early days of Islam and since the short interregnum of the early years of Iran's conquest by Muslims," Press TV reported on Saturday.

"Essentially, this memory is not comparable with any other in our country's history. It was complementary to the Revolution," Khamenei was quoted as saying.

Since then, the Iranians annually celebrate April 1 as the anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, referred to as the Islamic Republic Day.

 Source: Xinhua