Facing the Great Satan Next Door, Mexico Draws Closer to Iran and Palestine

For the first time, Iran illuminated Tehran's iconic Azadi Tower in the green, white, and red of the Mexican flag on Tuesday night, creating a striking tribute to Mexican Independence Day.

Tehran's Azadi Tower illuminated in the colors of the

Mexican flag, featuring the national coat of arms.

 

The September 15 display marked the 216th anniversary of the Grito de Dolores—priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's 1810 call to arms that launched Mexico's war for independence from Spain. "Today, Mexico is not in Mexico. It is in the heart of Iran," the Iranian Embassy in Mexico posted alongside a video of the glowing monument.
 

» Today, Mexico is not in Mexico. It is in the heart of Iran. «

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Shared Realpolitik.

 

According to El Universal, this was the first time Iran lit a monument to honor Mexico. While green, white, and red are shared national colors—frequently lit on the landmark, such as for the 45th anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution on February 10, 2024—Mexican Ambassador to Iran Guillermo Puente Ordorica praised the tribute to HispanTV as "a great gesture of friendship" that Mexicans will cherish. Indeed.

 

This symbolic alignment reflects broader geopolitical shifts. During the same holiday in 2025, hundreds

of thousands of Mexicans took to the streets chanting "Free Palestine" (Palestina vive) to condemn the

US-Israeli genocide in Gaza and express solidarity with Palestinians. According to the 2026 Pew

Spring Poll, Mexican public favorability dropped to just 40% for the US and 23% for Israel.

 

Nobody is illegal on his own turf.

 

¡Viva México libre, independiente y soberano!

 

Iranian Ambassador to Mexico Abolfazl Pasandideh emphasized this alignment in a message to the Mexican people: "For us Iranians, this celebration holds a very special meaning. Although Mexico and Iran are thousands of kilometers apart, our peoples share something profoundly important: a deep love for their history and identity, as well as a shared commitment to the right to freely decide their own destiny. From Iran, a fraternal greeting to the Mexican people. Long live Mexico! Long live the friendship between Iran and Mexico!"