Why they're chanting “Death to Russia!” in Tehran

Thousands of opposition supporters gathered for Friday Prayers in Tehran last week. Most of the slogans on show were anti-Ahmadinejad, but there were also, strangely, many people demonstrating against Putin and Medvedev's Russia.

“They were screaming 'death to England', so we responded with 'death to Russia!'"

Nazli, 25, is a student in Tehran.

After the prayers, when clashes broke out with the police, they started shouting crazily. They were screaming ‘death to England' [and also ‘death to Israel', ‘death to America'], so we responded with ‘death to Russia!' [As pointed out by blogger Andrew Sullivan, while the literal translation is ‘death to...', the correct translation is ‘down with...'] They chanted ‘death to the opposition', so we responded with ‘death to the dictator!'

Then a group of students set fire to a Russian flag. They consider Russia and China as Ahmadinejad's main supporters, and Russia is seen as the worst because it was one of the first country's to congratulate the president on his re-election [on June 12]. Medvedev personally, and warmly, greeted Ahmadinejad at a summit at the beginning of June [the Shanghai summit], while back in Iran, the people were trying for a coup d'état.

Russia's always had a good relationship with the Islamic Republic. Even when members of the pro-Soviet Tudeh Party were executed [between 1981 and 1988], little fuss was made. Russia still invests in the country and supports the government in times of crisis."

Comments

IRAN ELECTION

Submitted by Unregistered user on Tue, 21/07/2009 - 14:08.

a super power in the Middle The history is repeating itself, USA, Britain and Israel are interfering in Iranian internal affairs again and are extremely active to find any opportunity to de
The most important foreign policy of US and the west is to prevent Iran from becoming East.
Their sole aim is to protect Israel at any cost and in doing so they do not care if they desRegarding the recent event , a lot of young people in Iran do not understand what American CIA and British agents did to Iran back in 1953 by overthrowing the popular and democratically elected Mosadegh.
If USA and British did not interfere in Iran's internal affairs, and did not steal their oil, By now Iran would have been one of the most prosperous countries in the world, and we would not have had this problem now

"West" is club of countryis

Submitted by Unregistered user on Tue, 21/07/2009 - 17:49.

"West" is club of countryis which commit in last 5oo years (slavery,genocide,stolen lands-were they live now etc,etc)worst crimes and the same story going on today!They like to stole Iran oil and gas(like in Iraq)and if they can - land too!History tell all!Its not about democracy and freedom at all! The message from the west is clear-if you havent a weapons(nuclear to) you will be(like indians,palestine and the rest native people) gone!Iran is peaceful contry( great and first form state on planet )and i wish im all the best!only UNITED you will stand!