Iran to stage anti-Israel rallies amid peace talks in Washington
Government calls on all Iranians to attend 'Al-Quds Day' protests to 'liberate Palestinian land from Zionist regime.
By DPA Tags: Israel news IranIran called Thursday on all Iranians to attend nationwide anti-Israeli rallies as direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians were under way in Washington.
The late supreme leader of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, grand ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had declared the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan as Quds (Jerusalem) Day and called for mass rallies against Israel and in support of the Palestinians.
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Iranian protestors chant slogans in front of the French Embassy in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 28, 2010 |
| Photo by: AP |
The rallies this year, to be held this Friday, coincide with the first direct Middle East peace talks in almost two years, set Thursday in Washington, where US President Barack Obama was hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Iranian state media, millions of people were expected to attend the state-run rallies throughout the country and voice their support for Palestinians and the "'iberation of their lands from the Zionist regime's occupation"
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted Wednesday that the talks in Washington would once again fail because the main demand of the Palestinian people, which is an end to the Israeli occupation, was once again not being considered.
Iran does not recognize Israel's sovereignty and said the only pragmatic option to resolve the Mideast conflict would be a referendum for all Palestinians, including the millions of refugees, to determine their fate.
The Iranian government, however, also has security concerns related to Friday's rallies after opposition supporters last year used Quds Day to protest against Ahmadinejad.
Tehran police chief Hossein Sajedinia told the Fars news agency that police forces were deployed in several parts of Tehran to maintain security during the rallies.
The opposition accused the government of fraud in last year's presidential vote, which led to Ahmadinejad's re-election. It organized a series of demonstrations, and the government responded with deadly crackdowns. There have been no street protests since December.
Another complaint of the opposition is that the government focusses too much on the Palestinians and Lebanon rather than on the numerous political and economic problems inside Iran.
According to opposition websites, government supporters in recent days have gathered in front of the house of one opposition leader to intimidate him and prevent him from attending Friday's rallies.
The websites said the government supporters stole security cameras installed at the house of moderate cleric Mehdi Karroubi, leader of the opposition party Etemad Melli (National Trust), threw stones and sprayed the building with paint.
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Iranians are not bad people. The iranian mob just a hostage of their manipulative antisemitic president and mullas. Israel is a very humane country: it has an ability to turn Iran into melted glass in a matter of seconds, but doesn't do it because it cares about innocent people.
The world should laugh at the Ayatollahs.
economic sanctions, 25% inflation, 20% unemployment, price of oil below the $83 a barrel threshold iran needs for a balanced budget... lets organize a hate fest!
It is rediculous that the new Hitler Ahmedinijad can speak in the UN and that Iran can organise rally's in the US. Western countries have no answer to the way islamist misuse our freedom and democracy.
Why is the US pulling troops out of Iraq? Because when the bomb drops on Iran ...
We should have stopped Hitler in Sudetenland.......now is the time to stop Ahmadinejad dead in his tracks........
this is a common tactic by this regime to deflect criticism about their internal policies, but this will backfire because as their economy worsens they wonder why they spend so much money supporting hamas and hezzbolah. while the protests will be attended by many, most will be the poor and uneducated who are lured by free food.
On one side of the fight against peace is Iran/Hamas/Hezbollah and the settlers and their right wing supporters in government... you see, right wing Jews and right wing Iranians and their proxies have much in common both are actively trying to kill the deal, both want to exterminate the other both wish to continue the bloodshed and misery and both say that god is on their side
While I agree that the settlement activity undermines any peace talk, it is very unjust to compare settlers to Iran/Hamas/Hezbolla. What characterizes the settlers is their desire to live in the land of Jewish heritage - not their violence. The trio that you mentioned are bloodthirsty thugs who will continue killing even if there is peace - they will just find another excuse.
Am astounded by your comparison. Peace will stop settlements. Arabs and Palestinians have refused to negotiate with Israel for over 60 years. They have refused because their idea of peace is the destruction of Israel.
To be serious, talks must be between equal adversaries. In this case, it is absolutely not and it is futile. Abbas and his camp are plainly a creation maintained and paid by Isreal and the West and cannot be assumed to defend the interests of the Palestinian people. PA is worse than the infamous SLA which was kicked out of Lebanon. Hamas and the true Palestinian resistance would sooner or later boot out those collaborators and bring them to justice.
Actually sami, they have done quite well. The PA Economic outlook is positive. hey have reigned in borrowing by a couple of hundred million US Dollars.Many scools, hospitals are already built. Industry and commerce are expected to grow in leaps and bounds. A 6% growth rate is not bad. Better than many EU countries. The Palestinians in the West Bank are different than those in other countries, these folk are allowed to own and build businesses,also they have no time for war talk or sitting around coffee houses playing sheshbesh, dreaming of martyrdom . So you reckon they should be brought to justice? For behaving like human beings? Or are you angry, that they are educated and think that their children should not become suicide bombers. By the way the SLA fought for freedom, against Syrian hegemony, not to forget Amal, Syria·s proxies. Now, equal adversaries..? Well, they are equal, ....Israel and the PA, For both seek a common goal, called peace. Good day.
What ever Iran is doing is poossible for any other muslim country to stage against the invaders . World should rewind the the symblism of hatred called Isreal
They have no history there. they need to leave. Rewind to the time when there were no Palestinian Arabs and the land was swamps waiting for the Jews to return. Palestine is a Roman word no connection to Arabs who must go back to greater Arabia
Unfortunately Iran's penchant for terrorism is similar to any other muslim country.
They are talking about a referendum, but what is going on in Iran? They have a fake govern, that frauded the last elections and hate the democracy... What about a referendum in iran? Do they really agree with these rullers?
I imagine the demonstrations will be lively. On pain of death probably. The Iranians should go out and demonstrate.. against their Nazi leader.
And we got shot at. :(
seating+ meeting+ eating+ fitting= 000000000000.
A right to vote? A right to return?
If the original UN partition plan were in place today, this problem would not exist. Palestinians and their neighboring Arabs have voted strongly with their actions. They Palestinians have created their own mess. Now that they have failed to destroy Israel, they seek "what could have been". Talk about getting your cake and eating it too.
Actually, the US and EU are pushing for more sanctions, and certain arab block countries as well. Israel has asked the UN not to turn a blind eye to the problem.
Iran directly funds, arms, and directs terrorist activity against Israel; Iran actively wages war against Israel.
Time to arm Iranians against their brutal regime. Follow their actions in lebanon.