TEHRAN — Braving a drenching rain, Iranians came out in droves on Monday to march up Revolution Street to the capital’s Freedom Monument, including families pushing strollers decorated with balloons in the red, white and green of the country’s flag, clerics, teenagers and others, for a huge state-backed rally commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Islamic revolution.

While such rallies are organized every year on Feb. 11, this year’s seemed larger, despite the uninviting weather. And like some evil doppelgänger, the United States was omnipresent, despite having broken all ties with Iran in 1981.

“Thank god the revolution is 40 years old,” someone shouted through loudspeakers mounted on lampposts along the route. “Where are the Americans to witness this divine rally?”