Zev Porat

Friday, November 2, 2012

Iran celebrates 33rd anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy


Iranian demonstrators burn a representation of a U.S. flag and a caricature of President Barack Obama, in an annual state-backed rally in front of the former US Embassy in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. The rally marks the Nov. 4, 1979, storming of the building by militant students who held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days to protest U.S. failure to hand over the toppled shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to Iran for trial. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, not shown, addressed the rally saying the U.S. must annul the CIA, pull out its warships from the Persian Gulf and dismantle its military bases from 50 countries around the world if it wants to restore ties with Tehran. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — As Iranians marked the 33rd anniversary of the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, a commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guard on Friday offered a pot of gold to anyone who could prove that America is not "the most criminal regime on earth."
Speaking to a crowd of thousands outside the building that once housed the embassy, Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi said 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of gold would be given to anyone who found a regime "more criminal than the United States."
But, he added, that would be impossible, because the Guard has "already done the research and found Washington is the worst on earth."
Naqdi's speech was in keeping with the defiant rhetoric that Iran's leadership often uses during the annual rallies marking the embassy seizure. He also said Iran would only restore diplomatic ties with the United States if Washington disbands the CIA and removes its bases from the region.
As he spoke, Iranian students outside the former embassy building chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" and burned U.S. and Israeli flags.

No comments:

Post a Comment