Iran Attempts to Silence Its 'Death to America' Chants

Hassan Rouhani and Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Chants of 'Death to America' have been part of Iranian public life for almost 35 years. But the new wave of politicians in Tehran is trying to change that, write Damien McElroy and Ahmad Vahdat

An attempt by Iran's reformist president Hassan Rouhani to abolish the chant "Death to America" as part of his diplomatic drive to improve relations with the US and the West, has spurred an angry backlash among his country's hardline establishment.

The slogan - "Marg bar Amrika" in Farsi - has rung out on official occasions in Tehran ever since the country's Islamic revolution in 1979, born during the seizure by students of the US embassy and the 444-day hostage crisis that followed.

Beloved by hardliners, it became one of the unifying political messages of the regime and would be broadcast every Friday on national television and be echoed at many mosques after Friday prayers.

A national debate on the appropriateness of the chant erupted last month when reformist prayer leaders at the main Friday afternoon ceremonies in Tehran and other major cities told the congregations to hold their tongues.

Since it no longer fits so easily with the official outlook of a country whose president has telephone chats with President Barack Obama and wants the West to lift economic sanctions in return for nuclear concessions over Iran's nuclear programme, there is a drive by Mr Rouhani and his allies to end its public use. » | Damien McElroy, and Ahmad Vahdat | Saturday, October 19, 2013