TEHRAN: Supporters of Iran’s government poured into central Tehran on Monday for a massive rally to condemn days of “rioting” that the Islamic republic blames on its foreign foes.

Waving the Iranian flag and banners that read “Death to America”, they descended on Enghelab (Revolution) Square from all directions.

In a shock announcement on Nov 15, Iran raised the price of petrol by up to 200 per cent, triggering nationwide protests in a country whose economy has been battered by US sanctions.

Officials say the demonstrations turned violent because of the intervention of “thugs” backed by royalists and Iran’s arch-enemies — the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The square filled up quickly on Monday with young and old, including clerics carrying portraits of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The rally was addressed by Major General Hossein Salami, head of the elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which helped to put down the unrest.

“This war is over,” Salami told the huge crowd that covered the square and spilled into side streets.

“You have defeated the power of the arrogance,” he said, referring to America.

“The enemy has collapsed and today it is disappointed because of the glory of your presence. The coup de grace has been delivered.”

Long-fraught links between Tehran and Washington plunged to a new low in May last year when the US unilaterally withdrew from an international accord that gave Iran relief from sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

‘Revolutionary people’

In his speech, the Guards commander issued a warning for the United States and its allies Britain, Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“You have received a strong slap in the face,” Salami told them. “If you cross our red lines, we will destroy you.” Chants of “Death to the USA” and “Death to Israel” rang out as some in the crowd set fire to American flags.

Ahead of the rally, Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the “interference of foreign countries” in the street violence.

“We recommend they watch the rallies taking place these days in our country so they realise who the real people are in our country,” spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

An SMS had been sent to citizens on Sunday evening urging them to attend the demonstration, amid an ongoing internet outage imposed during the unrest.

The message called on “Tehran’s wise and revolutionary people” to take part and condemn “American-Israeli riots”.

The near-total internet blackout came at the height of the street unrest in a step seen as aimed at curbing the spread of videos of the violence.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2019