for ("< foo\n", "> bar\n") {
    my $lines = $_;

    if($lines =~ m/[<>]/){
        $lines =~ s/^[<>]\s//;

        # do something else...
    }
    print $lines;
}
__END__
foo
bar

##</code><code>##

    $lines =~ s/^(?:<|>)\s//;