Anti-American Sentiment in Iranian Schoolchildren Demonstration: "The Islamic Nation Abhors All Foreigners, Especially the Americans"

Following are excerpts from an Iranian TV report on a school children's demonstration, which aired on Channel 5, Iranian TV, on November 5, 2008:

Interviewer: Can you explain your drawing? What does it mean?

School girl at demonstration: This is a picture of an American. I have drawn his true face – like a filthy Satan.

Interviewer: You mean an American Zionist?

School girl: Right. He is trampling on the schoolbooks and pencils, and he is about to burn them. I drew it for Student Day, which marks the day they turned our beloved students into martyrs.

Interviewer: But they will never succeed, right?

School girls: Absolutely not.

[...]

Interviewer: If you could convey a message to the Zionists and the Americans, what would you say?

School girl: I would tell them that they have no right to make decisions regarding our country. I would tell them that even if they think that our men and women are not zealous...

Interviewer: You mean that's what they think?

School girl: Yes. But we Iranians believe the opposite – we will defend our country and our identity. We do not want anyone to rule over us, and we will defend ourselves.

Sign at demonstration reads: "The Islamic Nation Abhors All Foreigners, Especially the Americans"