The Meaning of "Death to America"
When asked whether he endorses chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" seen in crowds, along with signs threatening Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, Professor Marandi reframes the slogan's meaning. He argues that the phrase should not be taken literally, comparing it to the expression "Yankee go home"—which does not mean that every person carrying a U.S. passport should leave the country. According to Marandi, when people chant "death to America," they mean death to the U.S. empire and to what he describes as an oppressive regime that "slaughters our children."
Marandi offers a counterfactual to contextualize the sentiment. He suggests that if the United States had suffered the same actions it has inflicted on Iran—including the slaughter of leaders, civilians, and schoolchildren—the American response would far exceed chanting. He contends that the United States would likely have used nuclear weapons in such circumstances. From this perspective, he argues that words should not trouble the American government, particularly when measured against what he characterizes as the dead children in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, as well as what he describes as massacres and genocide.
On Threats and Comparative Standards
When confronted about having criticized threats made by others, Marandi points to an inconsistency he perceives in the interviewer's approach. He references a woman who appeared on the interviewer's show and made a statement about her body being reduced to "my little finger," whom the interviewer subsequently invited back multiple times. Marandi suggests this indicates the interviewer does not object to such rhetoric. When the interviewer clarifies that he would not have invited such a person again, Marandi notes that people frequently make similar claims about his own appearances on the show.
Historical Grievances and Regional Context
Marandi elaborates on what he views as the historical basis for anti-American sentiment in Iran. He lists a series of U.S. actions: the use of chemical weapons against Iran with U.S. endorsement, the shooting down of an Iranian airliner by the United States, the imposition of maximum-pressure sanctions that prevent food and medicine from entering the country, and three wars waged against Iran by the United States, including U.S. encouragement of Saddam Hussein's invasion. He argues that given these circumstances, the sentiment among Iranians toward the U.S. government becomes understandable.
Accusations of Terrorism and Israeli Actions
When the interviewer raises the question of the Iranian regime's sponsorship of what he calls terrorism across the Middle East—including support for the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas—Marandi rejects the framing entirely. He asserts that "the only terrorist regime in our region is the Israeli regime" and notes that the interviewer has refused three times to answer whether he accepts the legitimacy of what Marandi describes as an ethno-supremacist regime.
Marandi documents what he characterizes as recent Israeli actions: carrying out genocide in Gaza, conducting genocidal attacks in Lebanon, and murdering a school principal, her husband, and their maid. He emphasizes that killings in Gaza continue daily, affecting children, men, and women. When the interviewer counters that Iran's regime murdered thousands of protesters in the streets early in the year, Marandi shifts to what he presents as documented evidence of foreign involvement in those events.
Foreign Involvement in Iranian Protests
Marandi cites what he describes as admissions from Israeli sources regarding the 2024 unrest in Iran. He references Channel 14 of Israel as having stated that weapons used to kill hundreds of Iranian police officers were provided by Israel. He notes that the U.S. Secretary of Treasury acknowledged manipulating the Iranian currency to incite people to take to the streets, and that Channel 14 subsequently reported providing the weapons used against security forces. Marandi also mentions that former President Trump admitted to sending weapons for Iran and that former Secretary of State Pompeo acknowledged that Mossad was on the ground in Tehran during the riots. Additionally, he references Israeli Mossad's Persian-language media stating their presence and involvement in Iran.
On Victimhood and Regional Suffering
In closing, Marandi reframes the broader question of victimhood and culpability. He asserts that Iran, Palestine, and Lebanon are the victims, as are the peoples of the broader region. When the interviewer suggests that there are Iranians who are victims of the Iranian regime, pointing to their presence in the streets during protests, Marandi does not directly engage with this claim but reasserts his characterization of the regional dynamic and the role of external actors.