The Iranian news agency Fars last week ran a story in which the head of a local Islamist organisation was quoted as saying that American flags were not to be burnt any more — only those of Israel.
The quote from the group, which is closely linked to the regime’s feared Revolutionary Guards, caused a public storm.
The news agency quickly deleted the report from its website, and replaced it with a statement from the Islamist organisation saying that this year, cries of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, as well as “Death to conceit”, should continue.
“The United States continues to be the Great Satan,” the organisation announced.
