New graffiti, same acrimony at former US embassy in Tehran
TEHRAN:IRAN unveiled new anti-american wall murals at the former US embassy on Saturday, two days before the 40th anniversary of the Tehran hostage crisis that has poisoned relations ever since.
Stark images of a crumbling Statue of Liberty, a downed US drone and skulls floating in a sea of blood underlined the deep hostility that has flared again in the era of US President Donald Trump.
The political artworks were unveiled by the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, at a ceremony at the former mission that Iran calls the “den of spies”.
During his speech, Salami reiterated Iran’s grievances against the US. He said the only country to have used nuclear weapons was blocking other countries from benefitting from a civil programme.
“America is no longer the first in anything,” Salami said in his speech. “The enemies of America can now unbalance its system with the least amount of force applied.”
The accusatory message of the paintings was one of a superpower thirsty for war and bent on tightening its grip on the globe, yet weakening despite its military might.
One of the images, which were dominated by the US flag colours white, red and blue, showed a revolver with a stars and stripes pattern, but with its barrel drooping downwards and a bullet falling out.
The ceremony came two days before Iran celebrates the events of November 4, 1979 that marked the start of a 444day-long hostage crisis.