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Hassan Rouhani's return to Iran marked by 'death to America' chants Hassan Rouhani's return to Iran marked by 'death to America' chants
(35 minutes later)
The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, was greeted by hardliners chanting "death to America" when he returned to Tehran following his historic telephone call with the US president, Barack Obama.The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, was greeted by hardliners chanting "death to America" when he returned to Tehran following his historic telephone call with the US president, Barack Obama.
One protester threw a shoes at his car – a gesture of deep insult in Islamic countries. It missed, but others pelted his official car with eggs and stones, according to witness reports on Twitter. One protester threw a shoe at his car – a gesture of deep insult in Islamic countries. It missed, but others pelted his official car with eggs and stones, according to witness reports on Twitter.
About 100 hardline protesters were outnumbered by two to three times as many Rouhani supporters at the airport, shouting "thank you Rouhani". The president stood up through the sunroof to acknowledge the crowds.About 100 hardline protesters were outnumbered by two to three times as many Rouhani supporters at the airport, shouting "thank you Rouhani". The president stood up through the sunroof to acknowledge the crowds.
Rouhani was returning from New York, where he attended the UN general assembly. On his way to the airport in New York on Friday, Rouhani had a 15-minute telephone conversation with Obama – the first contact between leaders of the two countries in more than three decades.Rouhani was returning from New York, where he attended the UN general assembly. On his way to the airport in New York on Friday, Rouhani had a 15-minute telephone conversation with Obama – the first contact between leaders of the two countries in more than three decades.
Rouhani's English-language Twitter account broke news of the phone call in a series of tweets that hinted at a remarkably swift rapprochement between the two countries since the moderate cleric was elected in June. The tweets were deleted several hours later and replaced with more sombre versions.
One tweet said Rouhani had concluded the phone call by telling Obama to "have a nice day!" and Obama had thanked him and said goodbye in Persian – "Khodahafez", which means "God go with you". That tweet was later deleted and replaced:
In phone convo, President #Rouhani and President @BarackObama expressed their mutual political #will to rapidly solve the #nuclear issue.
Iranian media said hundreds of Rouhani supporters turned up to hail his UN visit, where he fulfilled pledges of having "constructive interaction" with the world in order to ease Iran's international isolation and get punitive sanctions lifted.Iranian media said hundreds of Rouhani supporters turned up to hail his UN visit, where he fulfilled pledges of having "constructive interaction" with the world in order to ease Iran's international isolation and get punitive sanctions lifted.
"Historic contact on the flight back home" was the front-page headline in the moderate Etemad daily Saturday. Arman, another newspaper, wrote: "The world was caught by surprise." The semi-official Mehr news agency ran pictures of groups of protesters holding up a "death to America" placard and banging the sides of Rouhani's limousine as it began to depart the airport. Mehr said one protester threw one of his shoes at the car.
The semi-official Mehr news agency ran pictures of groups of protesters holding up a "death to America" placard and banging the sides of Rouhani's limousine as it began to depart the airport. Mehr said one protester threw his shoes at the car. In phone convo, President #Rouhani and President @BarackObama expressed their mutual political #will to rapidly solve the #nuclear issue.
There has been little reaction so far from Iran's political leaders but one senior parliamentarian tentatively welcomed Rouhani's conversation with Obama as a sign of the Islamic Republic's "position of authority".There has been little reaction so far from Iran's political leaders but one senior parliamentarian tentatively welcomed Rouhani's conversation with Obama as a sign of the Islamic Republic's "position of authority".
"This [phone call] shows that Iran's place in the world is of critical importance. That the president of America insists on a telephone call is a sign of sincerity," Mehr quoted the head of parliament's committee for national security and foreign affairs, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, as saying on Saturday. "This [phonecall] shows that Iran's place in the world is of critical importance. That the president of America insists on a telephone call is a sign of sincerity," Mehr quoted the head of parliament's committee for national security and foreign affairs, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, as saying on Saturday.
Rouhani now has the difficult mission of trying to unite the country behind his outreach to ease a three-decade-long estrangement with the US and move toward a possible settlement to roll back sanctions imposed over Tehran's nuclear program. Rouhani's effort appears to have the critical backing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Prominent conservative figures – including Friday prayer leaders, who are all loyal to Khamenei – have publicly endorsed Rouhani's "heroic flexibility," citing the phrase Khamenei used last week to encourage diplomatic outreach but remain aware of the nation's strategic interests.
Upon returning home, Rouhani told reporters that the US gave him a 2,700 year-old artifact, interpreted as a new token of friendship between the United States and Iran. The artifact had been in New York since 2003, when an art dealer smuggled it into the US from Iran.
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