When Iran’s Supreme Leader Says ‘Death to America’ He Doesn’t Mean You

Thus, Jason Rezaian has new company in the political wings of Iran’s prisons, not just in the form of other American citizens, but also in the form of other local journalists and writers. Seeking American sympathy, Mossadegh traveled to the United States in hopes that it would side with Iran against the British.

“[The] aim of the slogan is not death to American people”, Khamenei told a group of Iranian university students on Tuesday.

Iranian police have swooped in to shutter a fried chicken shop using the brand name of U.S. fast food giant KFC, local media said Tuesday.

On Wednesday, hardline demonstrators marched through Tehran carrying missile-shaped balloons and placards warning against USA economic influence, on the anniversary of radical students storming the U.S. Embassy after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He stressed that Iran would never see the United States as a friend, because Washington would “grab the opportunity to sting and poison [the] Iranian nation with its venom”.

Iranians will mark the 36th anniversary of the US Embassy takeover in Tehran on November 4. “Obviously by ‘Death to America, ‘ we don’t mean death to the American people”.

Parsi, originally from the Islamic Republic of Iran, spoke before an audience of approximately 150 people at the FedEx Global Education Center about the success of the controversial Iran deal and Iranian-American relations in its aftermath.

A day earlier, the news agency reported that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had told the Cultural Revolution Supreme Council that the embassy takeover was considered Iran’s second revolution. The celebratory demonstrations comes a day after Iran reiterated its enmity towards the American government.

Khamenei was in favor of the July 14 nuclear deal but has repeatedly warned against US “infiltration” of the values of Iranian society.

But there is also a streak of Iranian pride that touches each level of its affairs, a belief that the country stands as an ideological and technological leader for the Islamic world. And an Iranian knockoff version of K.F.C., the chicken chain widely associated with the United States, was summarily closed after two days.

Ayatollah Khamenei, whose speech was accompanied by shouts of “Death to the US” by the students and pupils, added: “The slogan and shout of “Death to the US” by the Iranian nation has strong logical and rational support and stems from the Constitution and fundamental thoughts that brooks no injustice and oppression”. But now we are seeing they are sitting [down] with Iran, recognizing the Iranian legitimate nuclear rights and now inviting Iran actually to forums which are plans or could be plans for solving part of the Middle East’s problems and Middle Eastern crises.