Iran: 'Death to America,' unveils missile video game targeting Israel

by Gregory Tomlin, |
Shiite Muslims burn an Israeli flag during a parade marking the annual al-Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Baghdad, July 10, 2015. Millions of Shiites marched in Tehran, Iran, the same day, though pictures of the protests are not widely available due to Iranian censorship. At the demonstrations, according to multiple news sources and the Israeli government, protesters shouted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." The protests occurred as the U.S., European powers and Iran are trying to close a deal on Iran's nuclear program. | REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

TEHRAN (Christian Examiner) – Millions of Iranians took to the streets July 10 chanting "Death to American" and "Death to Israel" on the Iranian holiday known as al-Quds Day, the last day of Ramadan and a day calling for the liberation of Jerusalem from "Jewish occupation."

Protesters in Tehran also burned the American and Israeli flags, as well as effigies of President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, sources inside the country reported.

The protests came only days before an expected announcement from nuclear negotiators in Vienna, the Associated Press reported. Diplomats there are expected to announce Monday that the U.S. and European nations have reached a deal to provide sanctions relief in exchange for a slowdown in Iran's nuclear program.

Iran does not hide its intention to continue its murderous aggression even against those with whom it is negotiating. Perhaps there is someone among the great powers who is prepared to capitulate to this reality that Iran is dictating, which includes its unending calls for the destruction of Israel. We will not pay the price for this.

Negotiations, however, have not seemed to dampen Iran's desire for a nuclear weapon. In May, Reuters reported the Czech Republic had halted the sale of equipment to Iran that could have been used in its nuclear weapons program.

The Weekly Standard also described two reports, one from the United Nations and one from the BDS, Germany's internal intelligence agency, claiming Iran had already acquired some equipment and continued to look for ways to skirt international sanctions.

Meanwhile, Iran is stoking the desire for nuclear war with Israel in a new video game available on cellphones. Iran's FARS News Agency, a mouthpiece for the Ayatollah Khamenei's regime, said the game was unveiled as part of the al-Quds Day celebration.

In the game, users can conduct a nuclear attack on the Israeli port of Haifa.

"The anti-Zionist game displays Iran's missile power and the Zelzal, Zolfaqar and Sejjil missiles (all built in Iran) are used by the players in the game's first stage," game production project manager Mehdi Atash Jaam told FNA on Saturday.

"In this game, users break into the Zionist regime's air defense and target Israel," he added.

According to Jaam, the Iranians developed the game in retaliation for the console game, Battlefield, which includes simulated air strikes on Iran.

Last year, the Iranian army released a video game simulating a naval battle in the Gulf of Aden, where Iranian ships are now shadowing American warships and cargo vessels.

Lieutenant Commander of the Army for Cultural and Public Relations Affairs Seyed Mohammad Reza Vahedi said the games were created as part of the effort to fight a "soft war" against Iran's enemies.

During a meeting with his cabinet Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Khamenei has said Iran needs to plan to fight the United States whether or not an agreement is reached with negotiators in Vienna.

"The president of Iran, Rohani, stands at the head the march of hatred in the streets of Tehran, which U.S. and Israeli flags were burned, and in which many chanted 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel.' All of this is happening as the parade of concessions to Iran continues in Vienna," Netanyahu said. "It paves Iran's way to many nuclear bombs and gives it hundreds of billions of dollars for its terrorism and conquest machine, thereby endangering the peace of the entire world."

"Iran does not hide its intention to continue its murderous aggression even against those with whom it is negotiating. Perhaps there is someone among the great powers who is prepared to capitulate to this reality that Iran is dictating, which includes its unending calls for the destruction of Israel. We will not pay the price for this," Netanyahu said.

President Obama has said little to nothing about Iran's most recent provocations. In a press briefing Friday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the president is confident a negotiated agreement will "shut down every path that Iran has to a nuclear weapon, and it would put in place the most intrusive set of inspections that have ever been imposed on a country's nuclear program to verify Iran's compliance with an agreement."

The al-Quds Day commemoration occurs all over the Arab world. Protests were also held in Beirut, Baghdad, Damascus, Amman, Cairo and other Arab capitals.