Trump’s face, Israeli flags spread on casket in Iran rally
Iran celebrates its annual Al-Quds Day by saber rattling with missile exhibition, as millions pour onto the streets throughout the country to burn Israeli and American flags, chant 'death to Israel' and resist what their country’s leader describes as an ‘oppressive and arrogant political system.’
In addition to the usual burning of Israeli and American flags, the marchers laid a casket on the street bearing images of US President Trump's face, bordered with American flags and topped with multiple Israeli flags.
Marchers in Tehran are heading from various points of the city toward the Friday prayer ceremony at Tehran University, State media say similar demonstrations are underway in other cities and towns in Iran.
Iran also displayed three surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, including the Zolfaghar—the type that Iran used this week to target the Islamic State group in Syria.
The anti-Israel rallies are an annual event marking Al-Quds Day, the historic Arabic name for Jerusalem.
Iran doesn't recognize Israel and staunchly backs militant groups, including Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese's Hezbollah.
On Thursday, Iranian leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei said: “It isn’t only that we are defending a repressed people who were expelled from their homes, we are also fighting against an oppressive and arrogant political system.”
Another missile on display was the Ghadr, with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) that can reach both Israel and US bases in the region.
Iran holds al-Quds day rallies held each year on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to end this weekend. Iran has marked the day since the start of its 1979 Islamic Revolution, when the country cut relations with Israel.
