'Death to America,' Massive Protests Held in Iranian Cities

[European Knight]

Protesters were undeterred despite the prospect of massive economic sanctions relief due to an imminent agreement with the US.

Tens of thousands of protesters in Tehran and cities across Iran Friday chanted “Death to America” in the Islamic republic’s annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day demonstration.

Even in stifling heat approaching 100 degrees (38 Celcius), the crowds were undeterred. Participants in the demonstrations included President Hasan Rouhani, his predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani, his

brother Sadeq, head of the judiciary branch of the government, General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, commander of the ground forces of the Iranian army and General Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Saudi Arabia was added to the equation this year, as entire families joined the protest and screamed “Down with U.S., Israel and the House of Saud.”

Posters with pictures of U.S. President Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi King Salman were torched as well as an effigies of the Islamic State ( labeled “Saudi’s doll,”) and effigies of the devil wrapped in American and Israel flags.

The Iranian government facilitated participation in the demonstration in Tehran by bussing in participants and making travel on the subway free for the day.

The demonstration has been held every year against the State of Israel since the Islamic takeover of Iran in 1979.

'Death to America,' Massive Protests Held in Iranian Cities

[N1019]

The protests

Some say these anti American, anti Israel flag-burning rallies are social events organised by the government, attendees at which are given food and soft drink as encouragement (and free travel as the linked article indicates); according to some sources public turnout and enthusiasm is exaggerated. That's not to downplay such obnoxious exhibitions - they make no friends in the international community by doing it. However, the regime believes such activities give them legitimacy, since hatred for the US, UK and Israel is part of the creation myth of the Islamic Republic, with the ayatollahs appointing themselves to lead an axis of resistance against Anglo-American hegemony and "Zionism". Unfortunately for them, their game is not being made easy.

The nuclear deal

The theatrics continue. We have Obama and Kerry as the good cops, Netanyahu, Fabius, the GOP etc. as the bad cops. Kerry is giving the impression of weakness, bending over backwards to placate and accommodate Iran, willing to concede and compromise far more than a superpower should.

Now, why on earth should Kerry want to appear weak and accommodating?
(a) such displays might actually be indicative of strength ("act weak when you are strong"), and
(b) maybe, America is not serious about the deal, because it is only intended to serve some other purpose e.g. pave the path to war.

That is, the deal is a joke, as I have said all along. The nuclear deal is a great way of establishing plausible deniability on the part of America if and when war with Iran actually happens. They can say, "look how hard Kerry tried to get a deal, he bent over backwards to accommodate the Iranians, but they wouldn't come to an agreement, now we are left with no choice but to strike." Or, if Israel and the Arabs strike, America can say, "it wasn't us" (even though they would certainly be behind it). Something like that...

In my opinion, anyone who believes this deal is going to contribute to peace and stability in the MENA region is set to be sorely disappointed. So far, the process is more or less in line with suggestions set down in the Brookings Institution's 2008 paper, Which Path to Persia?, which is all about conquering Iran. That document contemplates numerous scenarios including how to use the nuke deal negotiations (as described above) and the political circumstances whereunder war against Iran would be accepted as necessary and justified.

For Iran, the long term outcomes of the nuclear negotiations are unlikely to be good, whether a deal is struck in the next few days or talks are called off. Deal or no deal, the ultimate aim is to conquer Iran - again. I see no reason why that would not be the case.