Iran says ‘Death to US’ but thanks Americans
TEHRAN: Iran’s National Day celebration often features American flags going up in flames, but with the country celebrating the 38th anniversary of the 1979 revolution that established the Islamic republic on Friday, others want to thank Americans instead.
US President Donald Trump’s executive order barring travellers from Iran and six other Muslim-majority countries has prompted a backlash in the United States, and Iranians have taken notice.
An estimated one million Americans of Iranian descent reside in the US, and Iran was the country most affected by the visa restriction — 35,000 Iranians come to the United States annually, more than any of the other countries on the list.
“We thank Americans who stood up for the seven countries blocked from entering the US by the new travel ban,” one popular Iranian Twitter account stated, with the hashtag #LoveBeyondFlags. Twitter and Facebook are blocked by state censors, but users have installed special software that helps bypass the block.
Other social media users shared images of Iranian and US wrestlers embracing, and of protesters who have thronged airports to welcome citizens of the seven banned countries who had managed to enter the US.
One political analyst, Nader Karimi Joni, considered close to the government, said he supaghi, ported those protesting the flagburning. “Look at the kindness Iranians received at US airports by those protesting Trump. We insult those people when we burn their flag,” he said.
But hard-liners said it was their right to burn the American flag. “We don’t have to be thankful for Americans welcoming Iranians rendering services to that country,” said Hamidreza TarThe a political analyst. “We must burn the U.S. flag, as long as they are hostile to us.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands rallied on Friday, carrying banners with the legend “Death to America”, while a military police band played Iranian revolutionary songs. President Hassan Rouhani called on his countrymen to join the rally and “show their unbreakable ties with the Supreme Leader”.
“Some inexperienced figures in the region and America are threatening Iran ... They should know that the language of threats has never worked with Iran,” Rouhani said. “We will make those threatening Iran regret it ... We will strongly confront any war-mongering policies.”