This morning we headlined our Iran Round-Up, “Tehran Praises Rouhani“.
Well, not quite all of Tehran.
Hundreds of people were at the capital’s Mehrabad Airport on Saturday morning to welcome the returning President, but so were about 75 hard-line protesters.
See photos from Mehr News Agency
Thomas Erdbrink of The New York Times narrated the subsequent developments on Twitter:
Supporters of Rouhani are waving Iranian flags, most are school kids bussed in for the event
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
There are also around 50 hard line students holding placards saying they oppose Rouhani's US outreach.
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
Hard line students: "anybody who brings back the hegemonic powers to this country is doomed."
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
Now both opponents and supporters of Rouhani shouting 'Allah o Akbar' in two competing microphones
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
"Long live Rouhani, everlasting change!," pro group chants. "Death to America!," hard liners chant in return.
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
Total chaos as hard liners hurls eggs and shoes at Rouhani, one person almost driven over by his car
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
Small number of police could not prevent around 75 hard liners from attacking Iran's president
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
Rouhani was trying to keep smiling but security people tried to shield him off with an umbrella, then pulled him into car and drove off.
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) September 28, 2013
The small but notable protest was prefaced by a challenge from the hard-line Raja News:
Raja news, hardline, says Rouhani's talk with Obama was strange, useless. "Forget about being a revolutionary, be a diplomat at least."
— Najmeh Bozorgmehr (@Najmeh_Tehran) September 28, 2013
Iran’s State media did not narrate the developments — on Twitter or on their webpages. News agency IRNA proclaims, “People Spontaneously Greeted the President at the Airport“.
Iranian Students News Agency also featured the positive:
#Iran President @HassanRouhani returned from US trip -Mehrabad airport -ISNA pic.twitter.com/mIbKUr7s3W
— Fahimn (@fahimn) September 28, 2013
However, Khabar Online — linked to Speaker of Parliament Ali Larijani — did take note. It wrote of “students”, implying they were linked to the Basij militia, asserting, “Rouhani has a lot to explain”.
