"Iran's authorities have ratcheted up the messaging and reciprocal threats against the United States during state-organised rallies and celebrations commemorating the Islamic revolution across the country, one month after deadly nationwide protests. Chants of Death to America and Death to Israel rang out on Wednesday in the state-run annual demonstrations, on a day of immense symbolic significance for the Islamic republic that consolidated its power during the 1979 revolution."
"This year's festivities are especially important to the theocratic establishment as they follow the 12-day war with Israel and the US in June, the nationwide protests starting in late December, and in defiance of a potentially looming war with the US. Threatened with assassination by the US and Israel, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did not make an appearance in the events."
"Near Enghelab (Islamic revolution) Square in downtown Tehran, authorities propped up five coffins for some of the top commanders in the US military. The coffins had the US flag painted on them, and included the names and images of Central Command chief Brad Cooper, Chief of Staff Randy Alan George and others."
A significant part of Iranian society is infuriated and grieving the killings of thousands during protests a month ago. Authorities intensified anti-US and anti-Israel rhetoric during state-run Islamic Revolution anniversary rallies, with chants of Death to America and Death to Israel. Authorities displayed coffins painted with US flags and names and images of senior US military commanders. The anniversary events follow a 12-day war with Israel and the US in June and nationwide protests starting in December. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei skipped public events and released a video urging participation, while other senior figures issued mobilisation messages. An arrested businessman wrote that he would participate in the rallies.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]