Iranian marchers chant 'Death to America' on eve of U.S. oil sanctions

[webfact]

Iranian marchers chant 'Death to America' on eve of U.S. oil sanctions

By Parisa Hafezi

 

Iranian people gather to mark the anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy, in Tehran, Iran, November 4, 2018. Tasnim News Agency /Handout via REUTERS

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - Thousands of Iranians chanting "Death to America" rallied on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the imminent reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil sector.

 

Students attending the government-organised rally in the capital Tehran, broadcast live by state television, burned the Stars and Stripes, an effigy of Uncle Sam and pictures of President Donald Trump outside the former embassy compound.

 

Hardline students stormed the embassy on Nov. 4, 1979, soon after the fall of the U.S.-backed shah, and 52 Americans were held hostage there for 444 days. The two countries have been enemies ever since.

 

State media said millions turned out for rallies in towns and cities, swearing allegiance to the clerical establishment and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The figure could not be independently confirmed by Reuters.

 

Rallies are staged on the embassy takeover anniversary every year. But rancour is especially strong this time following Trump's decision in May to withdraw from world powers' 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions on Tehran.

 

The deal brought about the lifting of most international financial and economic sanctions in return for Tehran curbing its disputed nuclear activity under U.N. surveillance.

 

Trump said the deal was weak and favoured Iran. The other signatories - Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China - remain committed to the accord.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the penalties set to return on Monday "are the toughest sanctions ever put in place on the Islamic Republic of Iran."

 

Interviewed on "Fox News Sunday," Pompeo said, "There's a handful of places where countries already have made significant reductions in their crude oil exports and need a little more time to get to zero. And we're going to provide that to them." He did not elaborate.

 

Pompeo noted that oil sanctions would be coupled with financial sanctions involving "over 600 designations of individuals and companies in Iran."

 

The Iranian military said it would launch two days of air defence drills on Monday and assured Iranians that it could neutralise any threats, the state news agency IRNA reported.

 

"We can assure our people that the enemy will not be able to carry out its threats against our country," IRNA quoted Habibollah Sayyari, the coordinating officer, as saying.

 

"DONALD SALMAN"

Among the anniversary events was an exhibition of cartoons in Tehran called "Donald Salman" - a reference to the close ties between the U.S. president and King Salman, ruler of Iran's regional rival, Saudi Arabia.

 

"It's black humour, but the audience can also be brought to reflect on the contradictions in the behaviour of Trump and (the royal house of) Al Saud," artist Masoud Shojaei Tabatabai told state television in Tehran.

 

The restoration of U.S. sanctions on Monday targeting Iran's oil sales and banking sector is part of an effort by Trump to force Iran to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes outright, as well as its support for proxy forces in conflicts across the Middle East.

 

In a speech on Saturday, Khamenei said Trump's policies faced opposition around the world. "America's goal has been to re-establish the domination it had, but it has failed. America has been defeated by the Islamic Republic over the past 40 years," he said.

 

(Additional reporting by Dubai newsroom and Richard Cowan in Washington; Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Daniel Wallis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-05

[ezzra]

They have chanting death to America since the 70' and where it got them so far? still at war odds with many countries, still under the stern thumbs of the Mullahs, economy in the craphouse, and what they really need to chant is death to the old ways of running Iran, death to the religious fanaticism, onwards with new Iran under secular leadership...

[Watchful]

Simply a brilliant move!  This is probably the best way to convince Americans that Trump's sanctions are misguided. 

[sweatalot]

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

what they really need to chant is ....

First their brainwash had to be undone - which would be nearly impossible

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thousands of Iranians chanting "Death to America" rallied on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the imminent reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil sector.

Fair enough, considering trump’s recent actions towards Iran.

[Jingthing]

Forgetting my opposition to "trump" for a second or two it's a fact that the governments of Iran and the USA have been and are in conflict. These sanctions are going to impact the poorer people in Iran quite harshly so it's hard to blame them for showing anger at the power doing the sanctions. It might be a dream to hope that the people of Iran become so pained that they overthrow their own government but that doesn't seem to be at all realistic.

[Morch]

2 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Fair enough, considering trump’s recent actions towards Iran.

 

They've been at it long before Trump.

Further, protests aren't quite a grassroots, spontaneous happenings, but rather organized and supported by authorities. Channeling public anxiety and anger toward external sources is a fine diversion in times of political need. Trump's at it himself.

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

They've been at it long before Trump.

Further, protests aren't quite a grassroots, spontaneous happenings, but rather organized and supported by authorities. Channeling public anxiety and anger toward external sources is a fine diversion in times of political need. Trump's at it himself.

Nonetheless, trump's unilateral action has added to the tensions.

 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Bluespunk
punctuation and because i can

[lucjoker]

is it so difficult to ignore those countries ?

Just dont have any contact with them .

Dont deal with them.( dont buy cheap oil from them)

Dont let any of them in your country.

BUT: watch them carefully,keep enough ballistic rockets aimed at them .

If they make a move ( or you think they make a move ) obliterate them completely.Make sure you let them know . Kick all of their believers out of your countries . Make those who praise islam ,live in their islam countries.Those who want to stay in our western countries will have to be publicly baptized.( or denounce openly islam)

problem is that our governments make a lot of money out of these countries ,and like to do nothing . 

 

[Redline]

38 minutes ago, lucjoker said:

is it so difficult to ignore those countries ?

Just dont have any contact with them .

Dont deal with them.( dont buy cheap oil from them)

Dont let any of them in your country.

BUT: watch them carefully,keep enough ballistic rockets aimed at them .

If they make a move ( or you think they make a move ) obliterate them completely.Make sure you let them know . Kick all of their believers out of your countries . Make those who praise islam ,live in their islam countries.Those who want to stay in our western countries will have to be publicly baptized.( or denounce openly islam)

problem is that our governments make a lot of money out of these countries ,and like to do nothing . 

 

I'm not sure where you are from, but you may want to reflect on the sensibility of this strategy.  It's all about the details ☺️

[puipuitom]

9 hours ago, Watchful said:

Simply a brilliant move!  This is probably the best way to convince Americans that Trump's sanctions are misguided. 

Exactly. No better than this to convice all Americans why Trump is doing so: to prevent Iran ever getting a nuclear bomb on an ICBM. That the EU does not see this ? Remind the words of Lenin, lived in Europe only: "the (European) capitalist will sell us the rope we will hang him with". 

[puipuitom]

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

These sanctions are going to impact the poorer people in Iran quite harshly so it's hard to blame them for showing anger at the power doing the sanctions. It might be a dream to hope that the people of Iran become so pained that they overthrow their own government but that doesn't seem to be at all realistic.

Remind the revolution in China ( 1911 and 1945-9), Kiel-Germany (the revolt of the marines), and even France 1789: the normal people were so much is distress, they were not afraid anymore for the bullits of the government military.

[candide]

24 minutes ago, puipuitom said:

Remind the revolution in China ( 1911 and 1945-9), Kiel-Germany (the revolt of the marines), and even France 1789: the normal people were so much is distress, they were not afraid anymore for the bullits of the government military.

It is a bit more complex in the case of Iran. First, they already made their revolution. Then, the political leaders are also religious leaders of an organised and hierarchical religion. It would be somehow like medieval Italians revolting against the pope.

So it is unclear what the impact of sanctions will be. On the one hand, it may trigger unrest against the government, as suggested. But on the other hand it may comfort the position of the more extremist and bellicist factions inside the current regime, at the expense of more moderate factions (i.e. the one which pushed for the current agreement)

 

[sirineou]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

Iranian marchers chant 'Death to America' on eve of U.S. oil sanctions

IMO it would be news if they didn't.

[Tug]

We need bridges not sanctions war ect ect the Iranans have reasons to be pissed at us we have reasons to be pissed at them we need to extend hands work out our differences not double down don’t think for a minute that trump can out negotiat the Iranians

[CALSinCM]

I really get a kick out of watching Americans who buy into 100% of Neo-conservative/Neo-liberal foreign policy on one hand, but who vehemently hate Trump to the point of hysteria on the other hand.  The cognitive dissonance that tears their brains apart is simply fun and highly novel entertainment to watch. 
And right at the moment the Neo-cons and Trump are on the exact same page.  <Poof, Bang, Fireworks, Despair, Angst>

[The Theory]

Those few thousands are voice of Iran’s regime. They get paid for it or financially supported by the regime. 

True people of Iran never chant death to America. 

As an American I understand that there is a difference between people and dictators (the regime). dictators try to use this word (people) in their speeches however people are the least they care about. 

 

[Scott]

Troll posts reported and removed.

[champers]

Iran is the birthplace of civilisation, the US needs to nurture and arm dissidents in the country (it probably does already). Backing Saddam's Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war did not help matters, with hindsight.

[Basil B]

Do not know what the Iranians are worried about.

 

Plenty of American companies ready to circumvent sanctions.

[Watchful]

2 hours ago, Basil B said:

Do not know what the Iranians are worried about.

 

Plenty of American companies ready to circumvent sanctions.

Not only is that clearly an over statement, but even European companies seeking to do business in the US are abandoning Iran. They are doing this in spite of the EU's attempt to keep the current agreement intact.

 

The Iranians are worried about the loss of oil revenue! With their imploding economy, this will force them to spend even more on their own people (food, energy, and housing subsidies etc.) leaving far less to support their interventions in the rest of the middle east. 

Edited November 5, 2018 by Watchful

[Watchful]

8 hours ago, Tug said:

We need bridges not sanctions war ect ect the Iranans have reasons to be pissed at us we have reasons to be pissed at them we need to extend hands work out our differences not double down don’t think for a minute that trump can out negotiat the Iranians

Yep, the last time Obama extended a hand via the Iranian Nuclear deal, the following week the Iranians organized a huge "death to America" march.  

 

Most Americans see this on the news and ask, "Why are we dealing with these nut jobs?"

[Watchful]

11 hours ago, puipuitom said:

Remind the revolution in China ( 1911 and 1945-9), Kiel-Germany (the revolt of the marines), and even France 1789: the normal people were so much is distress, they were not afraid anymore for the bullits of the government military.

Your post is spot on! 

 

Will the "gutless" people of Iran overthrow the religious dictators ruining the country

 

People get the government they deserve!

[Basil B]

5 hours ago, Watchful said:

Not only is that clearly an over statement, but even European companies seeking to do business in the US are abandoning Iran. They are doing this in spite of the EU's attempt to keep the current agreement intact.

 

The Iranians are worried about the loss of oil revenue! With their imploding economy, this will force them to spend even more on their own people (food, energy, and housing subsidies etc.) leaving far less to support their interventions in the rest of the middle east. 

Remember the oil for food program?

I do and I know how the company I worked for got off with a slap on the wrist as it was a NYSE listed company...

[Morch]

10 hours ago, The Theory said:

Those few thousands are voice of Iran’s regime. They get paid for it or financially supported by the regime. 

True people of Iran never chant death to America. 

As an American I understand that there is a difference between people and dictators (the regime). dictators try to use this word (people) in their speeches however people are the least they care about. 

 

 

I doubt you, as an outsider and an American, is a qualified judge on who are the "true people of Iran". That people may or may not get paid for protesting doesn't make them any less Iranian. And, of course, like any other people, Iranians may hold different views on different issues.

[Morch]

9 hours ago, champers said:

Iran is the birthplace of civilisation, the US needs to nurture and arm dissidents in the country (it probably does already). Backing Saddam's Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war did not help matters, with hindsight.

 

Yeah, because going down that road proved itself many times on the past. Oh...wait.

But by all means, do go on about hindsight.

 

What Iran supposedly being the "birthplace of civilisation" got to do with anything shall remain a mystery.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Morch

[Morch]

9 hours ago, Basil B said:

Do not know what the Iranians are worried about.

 

Plenty of American companies ready to circumvent sanctions.

 

Do tell.

[giddyup]

"Death to America", but offer them a green card and see what they say.

[lust]

Losers. Get a job.

[Basil B]

23 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Do tell.

Read post #28