BURNING FLAGS, IRANIANS CHEER U.S. EMBASSY TAKEOVER

Monday, November 3, 2008 12:00 PM



TEHRAN, Iran — Hundreds of Iranian children bused in for the occasion crowded outside the former U.S. Embassy on Monday, burning American flags and chanting slogans to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the building's seizure by militant students.

Equal parts school holiday and angry demonstration, Monday's commemoration came on the eve of the U.S. presidential election and was marked by anti-U.S. and anti-Israel chants and the burning of flags.

In 1979, militant Iranian students who believed the embassy was a center of plots against the Persian country held 52 Americans hostage 444 days. The U.S. severed diplomatic ties in response, and the two countries have not had formal relations since.

Iran blames the CIA for helping topple the elected government of Mohammad Mosaddeq in the 1950s and blames the United States for openly supporting the late Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi against the 1979 Islamic revolution that led to the collapse of the dynasty.

Iranians also condemn Washington for arming and supporting Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Today, some of Iran's leaders see Barack Obama as a harbinger of much-wanted change in U.S. policy toward their government. Iranian state radio broadcast a commentary Monday supporting the Democrat.

"Obama entered the race under the slogan of change," it said. "The American people expect their government to put aside neo-conservative policy of unilateralism and return to dialogue in their dealings with the international community."

But although Iranian conservatives may prefer Obama to Republican John McCain, reformers say a McCain victory will bolster Iranian hardliners, who may claim continued U.S. hostilities justify their suppression of freedoms at home and their tough foreign policy.

Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said his country's hatred for the United States runs deep and differences between the two nations go beyond a "few political issues."

The comments by were seen as a signal that a thaw in U.S.-Iran relations was not expected no matter who wins Tuesday.

Newsmax.com
International
http://www.newsmax.com