TEHERAN: America was accused of “sticking dagger in Iran’s back” by Hussein Makki, Parliamentary leader of the National Front yesterday [May 22]. Demonstrators, estimated at between 80 and 150 thousand, who had thronged to the Parliament Square to protest against Britain’s attitude, denounced “unwarranted American interference”. The police said that the mass demonstration … was [the] largest in history. Every inch of the Parliamentary Square was jammed with cheering Iranians.

The British were described as “plunderers” and one speaker charged the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company of using “criminal agents” … to block the nationalisation of 505-million dollars industry.

Hussein Makki … told a mass meeting in a recorded statement: “we thought America was a peace-loving nation and would not allow the US government to put out a statement on Iran’s destiny but it did. And supporting AIOC stuck a dagger in Iran’s back.” Makki said “the Iranian nation was not afraid of these declarations and we shall defend ourselves … either our blood must [be] shed or the income from oil must be used for improving the condition of the nation. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2026