A few weeks after referring to Jews as termites, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has come under renewed fire for leading chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” during a solidarity trip to Iran.
In a tour timed to the restoration of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Mr. Farrakhan led an audience Sunday at the University of Tehran law school in anti-American and anti-Israeli chanting, according to Iranian news agencies.
Conservatives were quick to condemn the 85-year-old Farrakhan, who has met over the years with Congressional Black Caucus members and won praise from progressives such as Women’s March leaders Tamika Mallory and Linda Sarsour despite his history of anti-Semitic statements.
“When will the democrats disavow this guy?” tweeted Donald Trump Jr. “Answer: NEVER.”
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, known as “America’s Rabbi,” called it a “new low for arch Jew-hater Farrakhan,” and urged President Barack Obama and President Bill Clinton, both of whom have appeared with Mr. Farrakhan, to denounce him.
In August, Mr. Clinton came under fire for sharing a stage with Mr. Farrakhan at a memorial for singer Aretha Franklin, while a photographer released in February a long-suppressed 2005 photo of Mr. Obama posing with Mr. Farrakhan.
When will the democrats disavow this guy?
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 5, 2018
Answer: NEVER https://t.co/zlDO5KMsMy
No Holds Barred: Will @BillClinton , @chuckschumer , @CoryBooker finally condemn Farrakhan? | The Jerusalem post - my new column https://t.co/9lEHnZfWTt
— Rabbi Shmuley (@RabbiShmuley) November 6, 2018
Meanwhile, mainstream media outlets were faulted for failing to report the story, which has been featured mainly in Israeli and U.S. conservative sites such as the Algemeiner, Fox News, Breitbart, Weekly Standard, National Review, Washington Free Beacon and Daily Caller.
The conservative Media Research Center blasted the CBS Evening News for failing to report on Mr. Farrakhan’s remarks during its Monday story on Iranian sanctions.
“The reason Bill Clinton and other Democratic leaders can share a stage with this man is because, with the exception of [CNN anchor] Jake Tapper, most of the media looks the other way,” tweeted former Bush White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.
The reason Bill Clinton and other Democratic leaders can share a stage with this man is because, with the exception of Jake Tapper, most of the media looks the other way. If an R stood next to David Duke, the MSM’s hammering would never stop. https://t.co/0HlLalzVwQ
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) November 5, 2018
CBS Ignores Farrakhan’s ’Death to America’ Chat in Iran, Whines About Sanctions https://t.co/F126EVR7J8 pic.twitter.com/dgDaswirzz
— MediaResearchCenter (@theMRC) November 6, 2018
In Iran, Mr. Farrakhan said the U.S. government was making a “big mistake” and pledged to work alongside Iran to “stop the plots” of its enemies, according to Iranian news agencies.
“America is making it very hard for Iran to successfully carry out its mission, but if you have the strength to persevere under these hard trials, the victory will be yours,” Mr. Farrakhan said in a video posted by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
Louis Farrakhan Refers to the U.S. as “Great Satan” during a Tehran University Speech; Says to Iranians: If You Persevere in Your Revolution Despite the Sanctions, “Victory Will Be Yours.” pic.twitter.com/7ZVloq2cXL
— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) November 5, 2018
He also alluded to the United States as Satan, saying, “Is it not true that you have called America the great Satan … We should not be surprised at what Satan does to ill affect the righteous.”
Three weeks ago, Mr. Farrakhan touched off an uproar for posting an earlier video in which he thanked Jews for “putting my name all over the planet” and added the caption, “I’m not an anti-Semite. I’m anti-Termite.”
Among those who criticized his comments was Chelsea Clinton, who blasted them as “anti-Semitic, wrong and dangerous.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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