The Iranian government condemns our actions but a lot of the people welcome it. Some of them hope we'll go into Iran to liberate them, next.

If Saddam Hussein's regime is overthrown, it is not just the students who will be celebrating. The 1980-88 conflict with Iraq, always referred to here as the "imposed war", left scars on just about every Iranian family. "There wasn't a week that went by without a funeral," said Leila, a housewife in west Tehran. "There were 18 boys killed just on this street."



Wearing a traditional chador as she served cups of Iranian tea, Leila spoke of the terror of bombs and Scud missiles hitting her working class district. "At least with the bombs there were air raid sirens, but the Scuds came down without warning," she said.

Families who lost their sons and fathers will be looking forward to Baghdad's defeat, she said. "Saddam has killed more Muslims than any western or Christian country ever has. That's something we cannot forgive."

Among war veterans, suspicions about Washington's motives and past support for the Baghdad regime are overshadowed by their memories of a war that claimed a million lives. "He was martyred. So was he," said Nasser, pointing to faded black and white photos of his teenage friends killed in the conflict. "Saddam brought us so much damage."

Nasser, who sells Panasonic video cameras and Samsung stereos from a small shop in Tehran, said he visits veterans in hospital still suffering from the effects of chemical weapon attacks.

"We will be pleased to see Saddam toppled after everything we suffered. Removing Saddam is what's important to us and it doesn't matter by whose hands," he said. "What comes after Saddam is also important and I'm pessimistic about US plans for a military governor ruling in Baghdad. It would be better if it was an elected government."