Anti-US demonstrations in Iran

[Ahriman238]

For the anniversary of the Embassy Siege, there are always some protesters against the Great Satan. This year they were both many and loud. Linky if you want to verify the source, or look at the pictures of flag-burning or the press credentials mentioned.

By Ali Arouzi and Alexander Smith, NBC News

TEHRAN -- At least 10,000 Iranians protested outside the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran Monday, burning American flags and effigies of Barack Obama on the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the building.

Annual demonstrations take place at the site, marking the date on which activists stormed the embassy 34 years ago and took 52 staff hostage for 444 days -- an act that severed diplomatic ties with the U.S. for more than three decades.

But this year’s demonstration was larger than usual, fueled by anger among Iranians at President Hassan Rouhani's recent moves to reopen dialogue with the West.

The crowd comprised mainly students and old revolutionaries from 1979, with equal numbers of men and women. It was at least ten times bigger than in previous years.

The air was thick with smoke as countless U.S. and Israeli flags went up in flames, accompanied by chants of "death to America" and the waving of anti-U.S. banners.

Reporters were issued with press credentials marked with the phrase "down with U.S.A."

Several protesters told NBC News they were taking part because they did not trust the U.S. and did not want Iran to do a deal with its arch-enemy.

The sentiment follows Rouhani presenting a far more moderate approach to international relations than his predecessor, the hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Rouhani broke the 34-year diplomatic silence between Iran and the U.S. with a 15-minute telephone call to Obama after the U.N. general assembly in September. It followed an exclusive interview with NBC News’ Ann Curry in which Rouhani said: "We are not seeking ... and looking for war with any nations. We are seeking peace and stability among all the nations in the region.”

The Iranian president also wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post in which he declared an end to "the age of blood feuds," adding: "World leaders are expected to lead in turning threats into opportunities."

This approach has been applauded by many Iranians, but Monday’s protests were not the first occasion Rouhani has been criticized for his perceived warming to the country Iran used to call "the Great Satan."

On his return from the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Rouhani was met with a large crowd of supporters in Tehran. Others, however, booed him and pelted his car with eggs, tomatoes and shoes.

On Sunday, Iran’s most powerful public figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave a speech backing the country’s nuclear negotiators. This was an apparent warning to hardliners not to accuse Rouhani of compromising with its old enemy, Reuters reported.

"No one should consider our negotiators as compromisers," Khamenei said, according to the news agency. "They have a difficult mission and no one must weaken an official who is busy with work."

On Saturday, an editorial by conservative newspaper Kayhan warned against trusting the U.S. in current nuclear negotiations, Reuters said. The editorial said there were signs that "the Americans are aiming to trick the Islamic Republic" in the next round of talks this week.

[Borgholio]

They protest because they hate us and the embargo, but they also protest because they don't want to enter negotiations to end the sanctions.

So basically they don't really know WHAT they want...and they protest.

[Purple]

They know exactly what they want. They want to end the embargo WITHOUT having to negotiate and thus make condescension. They don't want to talk. They want america to back down and go crawl in some pit and die.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

It's almost as if people from another country can have different opinions from each other! How strange!

[Broomstick]

>yawn<

I've been watching Iranians burn US flags for 30+ years, I'm bored with the whole thing. Yes, the demonstration was bigger than usual this year. It was still just shouting and flag burning.

[Guardsman Bass]

It's just larger than usual because the hard-liners want to put on public displays of support against conciliatory moves between the US and Iran. But other than that, I'm with Broomstick - *yawn*.

[Borgholio]

We could probably make some money selling them flags to burn, actually. Profit from this.

[Dr. Trainwreck]

Or their economy has a downturn, which created a lot of pressure to get vented without necessarily having anything to do with the US.

[Kitsune]

I looked at this thread and wondering "Something Change?"
Answer, NO . . . .

[Mr. Coffee]

This thread in .gif format.

[Kitsune]

Well, it would be nice to have a bit less antagonistic relationship but don't see it as practical

[madd0ct0r]

On his return from the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Rouhani was met with a large crowd of supporters in Tehran. Others, however, booed him and pelted his car with eggs, tomatoes and shoes.

Iranian teaparty don't like America. News at 10.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

Exactly how fair do you think it is to compare anti-US politics in Iran with the Tea Party?

[Mr. Coffee]

Exactly how fair do you think it is to compare anti-US politics in Iran with the Tea Party?

Irrational assholes are irrational assholes. Only difference is why they're being irrational assholes.

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

Why is it irrational to be angry at a country that has inflicted a lot of harm upon yours and continues to do so today? If you're talking about specifically the resistance to a softening of relations, that makes more sense when you look at how one-sided the demands are and how poorly previous Iranian gestures at reconciliation have gone. The issue's more nuanced than "anyone who doesn't want to immediately compromise is irrational".

The comparison to the Tea Party struck me as particularly funny, though, considering Purple's earlier post:

They know exactly what they want. They want to end the embargo WITHOUT having to negotiate and thus make condescension. They don't want to talk. They want america to back down and go crawl in some pit and die.

Replace "embargo" with "government shutdown" and "America" with "Tea Party" and it seems very familiar :L

[Kitsune]

Exactly how fair do you think it is to compare anti-US politics in Iran with the Tea Party?

Every scandal is now a "gate"