'Death to America' Flag Barbecue in Iran 'No Mere Sideshow' as Talks Continue

As Secretary of State John Kerry kept earnestly trying to cement a nuclear deal with Iran in Vienna, with the deadline extended to Monday, Quds Day in Tehran was marked in customary fashion:

US flag set on fire at Quds day demonstration in Tehran #Iran pic.twitter.com/tRBHFhgWTY

— Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) July 10, 2015

U.S. flag on fire at Quds Day rally in Tehran while Iran, U.S. negotiating at #IranTalksVienna pic.twitter.com/f9zuJGyKP3

— Sobhan Hassanvand (@Hassanvand) July 10, 2015

Fire man shouts: “Death to America!” and hoses down the crowd at Tehran’s Quds day rallies. pic.twitter.com/YhBdroE6Md

— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) July 10, 2015

IN PHOTOS: Iranians mark ‘Al-Quds Day’ with massive pro-Palestinian rally http://t.co/sO2JHhxSwt pic.twitter.com/TMOhgOhG43

— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) July 10, 2015

Times of Israel: Chanting ‘Death to Israel,’ millions march in Iran on al-Quds Day http://t.co/UlTqS5Ylwm pic.twitter.com/3mOo8yI54h

— The Israel Project (@israelproject) July 10, 2015

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) noted how tens of thousands have been marching in cities across Iran chanting “death to the Little Satan, Israel” and “death to the Big Satan, the United States.”

“It’s nearly 100 degrees in Tehran, but the crowds are undeterred. A fireman was seen standing on top of his truck, cooling down the crowd with his hose while shouting ‘Death to America!’ They are burning Israel’s flag, and one banner — reminiscent of Nazi propaganda — has the Star of David designed into the face of an ‘evil Jew,’ wearing a skullcap with America’s stars and stripes,” Royce said.

“These rallies are a mass spectacle of racist propaganda, but they are no mere sideshow. This is business as usual for the Supreme Leader, with the enthusiastic support of the so-called ‘moderates’ in the Iranian regime, including President Hassan Rouhani, who was in attendance, and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.”

Iran’s Press TV said Rouhani told Iranians that “this year’s rallies are particularly important… because mercenaries linked to Zionists are shedding the blood of people in the region.”

“The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement to mark al-Quds Day, calling for ‘resistance’ as the only way for the Palestinians to ‘liberate their motherland.’ It doesn’t take much to figure out that Iran is once again calling for the annihilation of Israel,” Royce said. “Iran’s elite ‘Quds Force’ has transferred funds to Hamas to rebuild a network of tunnels from Gaza to attack Israel and replenish the terrorist group’s medium-range missile arsenal.”

“I hope the Obama Administration pays attention to these murderous statements and understands why so many worry that the negotiating concessions being offered would put Iran on a glide path to a nuclear weapons capability.”