Iranian factory making thousands of US and Israeli flags for protesters to burn

A factory based in the hometown of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini is producing Israeli and U.S. flags primarily for the purpose of supplying props for protesters to burn during anti-U.S. rallies.

Reuters reported that the Diba Parcham flag factory in Khomein, Iran, produces about 1.5 million square feet of flags per year — much of its production going to U.S. and Israeli flags. As many as 2,000 per month are produced during times of increased tensions, according to the owner.

“We have no problem with the American and British people. We have [a] problem with their governors. We have [a] problem with their presidents, with the wrong policy they have,” owner Ghasem Ghanjani told Reuters.

“The people of America and Israel know that we have no problem with them. If people burn the flags of these countries at different rallies, it is only to show their protest,” he added.

Flags of the U.S. and Iran are often burned by protesters at state-supported rallies around the country during periods of high tensions between the U.S. and Iran, and in recent days thousands have marched in the streets of Tehran and other cities in support of Qassem Soleimani, an Iranian general killed by a U.S. airstrike in Iraq earlier this month.

President Trump tweeted his thanks to Iranian protesters earlier in January after video surfaced of demonstrators apparently refusing to walk on or burn the U.S. flag.