Protesters rally against Iranian president at United Nations

By REBECCA GIBIAN - Associated Press - Wednesday, September 20, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) - Iranian expatriates gathered at a plaza on Wednesday to protest an appearance at the United Nations by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Hundreds of protesters waved Iranian flags, chanted and held signs that said “free Iran.”

Part of the demonstration on Dag Hammerskjold Plaza, near the U.N., included an acting performance and singing over a soundtrack of recorded gunshots and explosions.

Several current or former U.S. politicians who favor a tougher stance on Iran also spoke, including independent former U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Democratic U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel and Republican former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton.

Mohammad Golshan, who was born in Iran but has lived in Toronto for three decades, said his belief is that the American administration “should not deal with the Iranian government.”

“I’ve been suffering a lot, me and my family back home in Iran, and I am hoping for a democracy in Iran one day,” said Golshan, who’s 57.