Post by peterd on Oct 10, 2013 7:31:01 GMT -8
Despite Rafsanjani's Push To Omit 'Death To America' Slogan, Demonstrators At Tehran Friday Sermon Persist In Chanting It, Wave Placards Against Obama, Rafsanjani
By: Y. Mansharof*
Introduction
The continuing struggle between the ideological followers of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and supporters of his political rival, Expediency Council Chairman Hashemi Rafsanjani, who recently forced Khamenei's consent to direct nuclear talks with the U.S., was clearly reflected in events during the October 4, 2013 central Friday sermon in Tehran.
In the two weeks since President Rohani's return to Tehran from New York, the Iranian regime has tried to show the world, and particularly the Americans, that it has changed its hostile ideological approach to the U.S. In order to reinforce this change of direction, which is lead by Hashemi Rafsanjani, Rafsanjani's office on September 30 published an excerpt from his memoirs in which he claims that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Iranian regime, agreed in principle that the 'Death to America' slogan could be omitted when necessary.[1] This publication sparked extensive criticism from hard-line Khamenei loyalists who feared that it undermined the values and ideology of the Islamic Revolution regime.
The regime's attempt to justify this dialing down of overt hostility towards the U.S. also found expression in statements by Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi, an advisor to Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander, in his political address that preceded the October 4 central Friday sermon in Tehran. Harandi sought to explain the change in Iran's policy towards the U.S. to the public by claiming that it enjoyed Khamenei's approval and fell within the framework of the regime's principles. When Harandi criticized what he viewed as U.S. State Secretary John Kerry's failure to meet his obligations, the crowd began chanting 'Death to America' and Harandi hastened to silence it.[2]
Immediately after the sermon, Khamenei's ideological followers staged a protest rally against Obama and Rafsanjani. Protesters held up signs branding Obama a "terrorist" and accused Rafsanjani of misrepresenting Khomeini's directives on the appropriate attitude towards America (see images below).
Additionally, pro-Khamenei ideological circles stressed that the traditional November 4 events marking the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy would be commemorated this year with special gusto and with special emphasis on the slogan "Death to America."
www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/7454.htm
By: Y. Mansharof*
Introduction
The continuing struggle between the ideological followers of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and supporters of his political rival, Expediency Council Chairman Hashemi Rafsanjani, who recently forced Khamenei's consent to direct nuclear talks with the U.S., was clearly reflected in events during the October 4, 2013 central Friday sermon in Tehran.
In the two weeks since President Rohani's return to Tehran from New York, the Iranian regime has tried to show the world, and particularly the Americans, that it has changed its hostile ideological approach to the U.S. In order to reinforce this change of direction, which is lead by Hashemi Rafsanjani, Rafsanjani's office on September 30 published an excerpt from his memoirs in which he claims that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Iranian regime, agreed in principle that the 'Death to America' slogan could be omitted when necessary.[1] This publication sparked extensive criticism from hard-line Khamenei loyalists who feared that it undermined the values and ideology of the Islamic Revolution regime.
The regime's attempt to justify this dialing down of overt hostility towards the U.S. also found expression in statements by Mohammad-Hossein Saffar-Harandi, an advisor to Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander, in his political address that preceded the October 4 central Friday sermon in Tehran. Harandi sought to explain the change in Iran's policy towards the U.S. to the public by claiming that it enjoyed Khamenei's approval and fell within the framework of the regime's principles. When Harandi criticized what he viewed as U.S. State Secretary John Kerry's failure to meet his obligations, the crowd began chanting 'Death to America' and Harandi hastened to silence it.[2]
Immediately after the sermon, Khamenei's ideological followers staged a protest rally against Obama and Rafsanjani. Protesters held up signs branding Obama a "terrorist" and accused Rafsanjani of misrepresenting Khomeini's directives on the appropriate attitude towards America (see images below).
Additionally, pro-Khamenei ideological circles stressed that the traditional November 4 events marking the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy would be commemorated this year with special gusto and with special emphasis on the slogan "Death to America."
www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/7454.htm