Skip to main content

Iranians toss shoes at Bush posters

  • Story Highlights
  • Journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush wins Iranian fans
  • Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps sponsored Tehran shoe-throwing events
  • Shoe-throwing is a traditional insult in Arab culture
  • Next Article in World »
By CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr
Decrease font Decrease font
Enlarge font Enlarge font

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- A few dozen Iranians threw shoes at posters of U.S. President George W. Bush in Tehran Friday morning, a demonstration of support for an Iraqi journalist jailed for throwing his shoes at President Bush two weeks ago in Baghdad.

A woman throws a training shoe at a caricature poster of President George W. Bush in Tehran on December 26.

A woman throws a training shoe at a caricature poster of President George W. Bush in Tehran on December 26.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps sponsored the shoe-throwing events near Tehran University and the U.S. Embassy.

About 70 people stopped to toss their shoes as they walked to Friday prayer meetings on the main campus of Tehran University, according to a journalist on the scene.

Iraqi reporter Muntadhir Al-Zaidi faces trial next week for the December 14 incident in which he threw both of his shoes at Bush, who was standing next to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki at a Green Zone news conference.

Several high-ranking Iranian clerics, members of parliament and other politicians have made statements in support of al-Zaidi, claiming he represented the true feelings of the Iraqi people towards President Bush.

Iranian President Ahmadinejad's spokesman, Ali Akbar Javanfekr said Friday it was "a natural reaction to the crimes committed by the United States," Fars News Agency reported.

advertisement

"Since the Iraqi journalist acted bravely and on the basis of his Islamic faith, the Iranian people and media naturally support him," Javanfekr said.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps called al-Zaidi "a brave journalist who, by throwing his shoe at the Great Satan, had committed a heroic act."

All About IraqGeorge W. Bush

  • E-mail
  • Save
  • Print