We’ve witnessed the burning flags and the hateful chants, yet Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khameini is trying to argue “Death to America” doesn’t mean what we think it means.
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Iran’s supreme leader says the slogan “Death to America” is not aimed at the American people, but rather American policies.
There are also reports that Iran has begun engaging in a cyber-offensive against the United States, with its Revolutionary Guard aggressively targeting US officials and attempting to steal their personal information.
Furthermore, it serves as proof that the IRGC, which controls all of these unconventional assets, has no intention of giving up its regional influence or allowing Iran to align itself with the U.S.-led regional order. “Anywhere we see the footprints of America and their domination system or any trace of their cultural penetration, rest assured that our statesmen, officials, intelligence forces and the great Iranian nation will confront them”.
At mass political rallies, Iranians are often heard chanting “Marg bar Amrika” – which translates directly to “Death to America” – a slogan that doesn’t, on its face, bode well for the future of Iranian-US relations. Instead it simply means “death to US policies and arrogance”.
Iran is banning the entry of USA consumer goods, the commerce and industry minister said Thursday, as the country prepares for a lifting of economic sanctions.
The successful negotiations, completed in July, demonstrated a change in years of U.S.-Iranian relations.
Khamenei reiterated his warning that the U.S.is not to be trusted despite the nuclear deal reached with the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days, ending a quarter-century-strong bond between the Iranian and United States governments. Dubbed the JCPOA, the accord would subject the parties to comply with a series of commitments, resulting in the termination of sanctions on Iran in exchange for certain restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program during a defined period of time. “U.S. lawful permanent residents are not USA passport holders and would travel on the passport of their nationality”.
“No American fast food chain has a restaurant in Iran”, Ali Fazeli, head of the Iranian chamber of commerce, was quoted as saying by the ILNA press agency.
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Although Khamenei expressed his mistrust and said that he can not forgive the “arrogant” American attitude, it seems his intention is to diffuse tensions – and while it is doubtful that his explanation will put the American public or politicians at ease, it is a step forward nonetheless.
