Iran: Protesters swarm former US Embassy in Tehran

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Tens of thousands of demonstrators are gathering outside the former U.S. Embassy in Iran for the biggest anti-American rally in years as a show of support for hard-line opponents of President Hassan Rouhani's historic outreach to Washington.

Such protests occur every year outside the former embassy compound to mark the anniversary of its 1979 takeover following the Islamic Revolution. A total of 52 hostages were held 444 days.

But Monday's rally is the largest in years after calls by groups such as the Revolutionary Guard for a major showing, including chants of "death to America" that some of Rouhani's backers have urged halted.

Rouhani's overtures are backed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Opponents, however, say they will not back down, raising the prospect of deeper internal rifts.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20131104/DA9RKM000.html

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An Iranian woman walks past an anti-U.S. mural, painted on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

[Scootaloo]

1. Hard to forgive the state that overthrew your democracy to install a fascist mass murderer

[bravenak]

2. I understand.

We did have a presidential candidate make a song about bombing them. He's still a senator.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Iran hardliners mark U.S. embassy siege anniversary

(Reuters) - Iranian hardliners demonstrated to mark the anniversary on Monday of the 1979 seizure of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, a sign of the considerable obstacles to President Hassan Rouhani's diplomatic initiative to ease tension with Washington.

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On Sunday, the Islamic Republic's most powerful figure, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, gave strong backing to Iran's nuclear negotiators, an apparent warning to hardliners against accusing Rouhani of compromising with its old enemy.

"No one should consider our negotiators as compromisers," Khamenei said in a speech. "They have a difficult mission and no one must weaken an official who is busy with work."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/11/04/uk-iran-usa-idUKBRE9A305C20131104

[Loudly]

4. Time to move on, hardliners.

The threat to your liberty now is yourselves.

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. Well, except for those pesky sanctions and the threats to attack them.

Remember Obama on Iran: "No option is off the table."

[alp227]

6. More sources:

Al Jazeera, Iranians cry 'death to America' in huge rally

Original AP title, Thousands protest at former US Embassy in Iran

Press TV (Iran), Iranians mark US Embassy takeover anniversary

Tehran Times, Iran marks anniversary of U.S. embassy seizure

BBC, Why 'Death to America' remains Iran hardliners' slogan of choice

The Guardian, Iranian hardliners mark 1979 hostage crisis anniversary with huge protests