Anti-Arab racism on the rise in Iran: Anti-Arab "Death to Arab" graffiti spray painted in the Iranian city of Karaj

"Death to Arab" graffiti in Karj city,

 20 km west of Tehran

Arabs are being repeatedly humiliated in the ugliest and nastiest possible terms and ways in the Iranian society, literature, media, and sport venues. They being commonly referred to in derogatory terms such as ‘lizard-eaters’ and ‘camel’s milk-drinkers’ and depicted as uncivilized barbarians and barefooted nomads by many ordinary Persians, poets and even by some so called “intellectuals and writers”.

In April 2015 a mob of Persian men and women in Karaj appeared in a video chatting “ Arab Gomsho Biroon” which means "Arab Get Lost" in Persian ,extremely rude. They called it protest against Saudi-led Operation Decisive Storm in Yemen [also an Arab country] as well as alleged mistreatment of two Iranian teenagers in Jeddeh airport.  Despite its massive presence police did nothing to stop the crowd from chanting these racist slogans.

Such anti-Arabism and derogatory language among Persians and Persian dominated media is widespread and tolerated if not encouraged but Iranian authorities. In May 1985 Arab protesters were suppressed and hundreds were detained by authorities for protesting against extremely insulting article in the state-owned newspaper Etelaat. Protests forced then president and current supreme leader to apologised  to Ahwazi Arabs.