Hundreds of thousands rally in Iran against Trump, chant 'Death to America': TV

[Stellar]

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday to swear allegiance to their clerical leaders and reject U.S. President Donald Trump's warning that he had put the Islamic Republic "on notice", state TV reported.

On the anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, marchers including hundreds of military personnel and policemen streamed towards Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) Square for the main event.

They carried "Death to America" banners and effigies of Trump while a military police band played traditional Iranian revolutionary songs.

State TV showed footage of people stepping on Trump's picture in a central Tehran street. Marchers carried the Iranian flag and banners saying: "Thanks Mr Trump for showing the real face of America."

"America and Trump cannot do a damn thing. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for our leader", a young man told state TV, in a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Last week, Trump put Iran "on notice" after a Jan. 29 Iranian missile test and imposed fresh sanctions on individuals and entities. Iran said it will not halt its missile program.

Leading religious and political figures, including President Hassan Rouhani, had urged Iranians to join the rally on Friday to "show their unbreakable ties with the Supreme Leader and the Islamic Republic".

Tehran and Washington cut diplomatic ties shortly after the revolution, when hardline students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

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VIGILANT

"Some inexperienced figures in the region and America are threatening Iran ... They should know the language of threats has never worked with Iran," Rouhani told the crowd at Azadi Square. "We are not seeking tension but we are united before bullying and any threat."

The rallies bristled with anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli sentiment. Some protesters carried pictures of Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Theresa May with the caption "Death to the Devil Triangle".

"This turnout of people is a strong response to false remarks by the new leaders of America," Rouhani told state TV, which said millions had turned out at rallies across Iran.

Many Iranians on social media such as Twitter and Facebook used the hashtag #LoveBeyondFlags to urge an end to burning of U.S. flags, a regular feature of these anniversary events.

They also thanked Americans for opposing Trump's executive order banning travelers from seven mainly Muslim countries - including Iran - from entry to the United States. The travel ban is being challenged in U.S. courts.

Some marchers in the crowds carried banners that read: "Thanks to American people for supporting Muslims".

Both U.S.-based social media sites are blocked by the government in Iran but many Iranians get around the restrictions to use them. Iranian officials, including Khamenei, have Twitter and Facebook accounts despite the ban.

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More :reuters

[ck4829]

1. The people in those last paragraphs will be the first victims of any war between the US and Iran

This is why the effort to stop Trump needs to go full speed, it's not just for us, but it's for them as well.

[Stellar]

3. I totally agree.

[Eyeball_Kid]

2. Oh, be careful, Iranians. Don't get Trumpy upset now.

He'll send in a helicopter to quell the disturbance. And he'll tweet something that will devastate all of you and destroy your economy. Trumpy has no qualms about using all of the power at his disposal to get back at all of those losers who think less of him than his 12 year-old daughter-- which is Ivanka's developmental stage in relation to her father. Yes, so many beautiful photographs of Ivanka sitting on daddy's lap just make both of them happy. But I digress...

[gordianot]

4. They just feed the beast.

Trump feeds on hate and he wants a threatening mob.