Iran: Protesters swarm former US Embassy in Tehran

AAA  Nov. 4, 2013 2:21 AM ET
Iran: Protesters swarm former US Embassy in Tehran
AP

A veiled Iranian woman walks past a mural depicting the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, and national Iranian flag, painted on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

A veiled Iranian woman walks past a mural depicting the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, and national Iranian flag, painted on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

An Iranian woman walks past an anti-U.S. mural, painted on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

An unidentified woman walks under an anti-U.S. graffiti painted on the walls of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

An unidentified woman walks under an anti-U.S. graffiti painted on the interior walls of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

A man walks past a satirized painting of the Statue of Liberty painted on the wall of the former U.S. Embassy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. Iran’s hardliners unveiled two new “Death to America” songs at the site of the former U.S. embassy in Tehran Saturday to keep the anti-U.S. sentiments alive. The live performance Saturday is a warm-up to the main event: A major anti-U.S. rally on Monday marking the Nov. 4 anniversary of the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 by militant students. The event is marked every year with protests outside the compound’s brick walls. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Tens of thousands of demonstrators are gathering outside the former U.S. Embassy in Iran for the biggest anti-American rally in years as a show of support for hard-line opponents of President Hassan Rouhani's historic outreach to Washington.

Such protests occur every year outside the former embassy compound to mark the anniversary of its 1979 takeover following the Islamic Revolution. A total of 52 hostages were held 444 days.

But Monday's rally is the largest in years after calls by groups such as the Revolutionary Guard for a major showing, including chants of "death to America" that some of Rouhani's backers have urged halted.

Rouhani's overtures are backed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Opponents, however, say they will not back down, raising the prospect of deeper internal rifts.

Associated Press



Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-11-04-Iran/id-4dce75b53f68425b9620e1484068b04e
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