Iran protesters say Trump speeding up the end of Israel

Image
AFP Tehran
Last Updated : Dec 11 2017 | 9:50 PM IST
A few hundred diehard Iranian conservatives rallied today against Israel and said US President Donald Trump had hastened its demise with his decision to recognise Jerusalem as its capital.
The rally in downtown Tehran featured the sort of thumping, Turkish-style dance music that is normally banned in Iran but has become increasing popular at hardliner events.
It is made acceptable to conservative ears with the addition of lyrics such as "the US is a murderer" and "Palestinian mothers are losing their children" and, of course, the ubiquitous "Death to America".
Participants blamed the middling turnout on rushed preparations.
"The publicity was a bit weak. I only learned about today's demo around midnight, and I'm coming directly from the hospital because I'm a medical student," said Ali Esfahani, 23.
He said Trump's decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem, which was widely condemned across the globe, "was one more cruelty on top of America's previous oppressions" and could not be tolerated.
Such protests tread a fine line, pledging support for the Palestinian cause without calling for direct military action by Iran.
"I don't think there will be a need to send any troops because there are a lot of people in Lebanon, Syria and inside the Palestinian Territories. They will be enough to get rid of the Israelis," a cleric, Seyed Abdullah Hosseini, told AFP.
A neon board on the side of the square announced that there were only 8,240 days left for Israel -- a reference to a speech by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in which he predicted the end of Israel by 2030.
"Mr Trump has done a good job of speeding things up. We were expecting Israel to be dismantled later... but this is the beginning of the end of Israel," said Hosseini.
"We have to thank him for what he did.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 11 2017 | 9:50 PM IST

Next Story