Posted on 08/28/2004 5:41:20 PM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
TEHRAN (MNA) -- President Mohammad Khatami asserted on Saturday that Iran is very powerful and that no country would dare to entertain the idea of engaging in military adventurism in Iran.
Khatami warned that any U.S. attack on Iran would be "suicidal".
"The Americans have to deal with their problems in Iraq first," the president told a news conference.
"I believe the Americans are still rational enough not to repeat their mistakes," he added, referring to the occupation of Iraq by U.S. forces.
Commenting on Israel's threat to attack Iran's nuclear installations, he said he believes that the Zionist regime is unlikely to take such a stupid measure.
The president went on to say that Israel is currently being overwhelmed by stone-throwing Palestinian youths.
Khatami said their awareness of the experiences Iran gained in its eight-year Sacred Defense (the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war) would prevent the U.S. and Israel from even thinking about attacking the country.
He rejected the claims of U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapons program, calling them baseless.
The president also announced that the Iranian nation, government, and armed forces are totally prepared to defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Khatami responded to the latest anti-Iranian propaganda, asserting that Iran was not stirring up violence in Iraq.
"The policy of Iran is to solve the problems of Iraq. We want calm in that country. We have problems with the United States, but we will never impose these problems on the Iraqis," he told reporters.
"Despite the unfriendly comments by some members of the Iraqi government and senseless comments, we have recognized the formation of this government as a step toward establishing democracy," he added as quoted by Reuters. He said that despite the arrests of pilgrims and the accusations against them Iran was adopting a policy of restraint "to avoid additional problems in Iraq."
"Today even the Americans know that without our presence in Afghanistan and Iraq they cannot do anything," the president said.
Khatami said the UN atomic watchdog must accept Iran's right to enrich uranium.
"We are still hoping that with the negotiations we have had, we will arrive at a logical solution -- that they recognize our right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and accept us into the club," the president argued.
"After that there will be no problem" with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he added.
On September 13, the IAEA is due to start a fresh round of discussions on Iran's nuclear activities and examine the progress of inspections.
"We want to master nuclear technology, that is to say to be able to make uranium enriched to 3.5 percent," AFP quoted him as saying.
"We don't want anything more. It is our right and nobody can deprive us of this technology," Khatami underscored, nevertheless promising "maximum cooperation" with the IAEA.
Khatami said that Iranian policy puts a premium on promoting peace and democracy all over the world, including in occupied Palestine, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
He added that the Islamic principles Iran is pursuing are consistent with the principles of democratic governments
What a statement - all I have to say is the Iranian people are not losing - and the only reason they have yet to overthrow the regime is because the Mullahs are supported by Europeans, Russia and china - and the US has yet to declare any policy with regard to fucking mullahs.
- get it now?
Actuallly one more thing!
It's really irritating when someone who obviously doesn't know too much about the Middle East and the history talks as though he/she does and start condemning and criticizing.
You must be kidding me? I have no problem with people who are considerate and want to ask questions and learn - but you're speaking as though you know - when the fact is, you don't - so educate yourself and then come criticize or apologize..
Once again it comes down to America and how we aren't doing what needs to be done.
We did not create the situation in Iran and I guarantee you the moment we take an active stance in on the situation there we will be accused by most of the rest of the world as well as a large chunk of the Iranian population as meddling in afairs that don't concern us and worse.
It always happens this way. Some area of the world screws up their own situation, we end up going in and cleaning it up.
This usually happens at the expense of American lives and lots of American taxpayer money and we get sh!t all over for our efforts.
GET IT NOW!!!
No I don't get it because you're only partially correct.
The issue is thus: A Genious policy of Carter Admin and Europeans in the late 70s was to install Islamic Dictatorships in the middle east in order to create a "wall" or "buffer" if you will around Communism.
I believe US was suckered into such a policy by the European powers, who, to this day, continue their VERY STRONG BUSINESSANDTRADE ties with the MULLAHS!
The Iranian people didn't willingly bring these fascists to power. Many Iranians were upset at some of the policies of the Shah - but they didn't want to replace the Shah with the Khomenists - they only wanted to cause more changes and liberalizations - instead the British, French US smothered Iran with mind-war propoganda, etc.. and created the histeria and influence that resuled in the so-called "Islamic Republic of Iran" .. I tell you - Iranians first of all are not Arabs - they are Persians. Second of all, Iranians are in essence non-Islamic peoples. Islam was forced upon Persians by the Arabs - and Zoroastrianism (which is the most ancient monotheistice religion in the world) was persecuted and condemned by the barbaric Arabs.
The Iranian people are smart and they know their history. They are ready and willing to overthrow the regime but it has to happen at the right time and it needs the moral support of the United States government, otherwise - an uprising will occur and if there is no media attention and no support from US - the Europeans/Mullah alliance will crush the uprising as they always do!
"The policy of Iran is to solve the problems of Iraq. We want calm in that country"
LOL!
"we have recognized the formation of this government as a step toward establishing democracy,"
Yeah, and th regime wants to destroy it as soon as possible.
Khatami is Really Something.
"We did not create the situation in Iran... "
Actually, we did. Carter did.
I will not join in bashing of any people or culture. But I must add this to your posts as an addendum, beginning with a personal commentary.
Some individuals here are more ignorant than some of the Arabs they try to bash.
The primitive Arabs have a very good excuse. Misinformation, lack of possibility for education and a general ulterior motivated backwards religious superstition.
Here, in the western world, we are but a keyboard away from an Internet search, which clearly defines Iranians as Persians. From the ancient tribes of the Arian race. Thus the name Iran, which means Arian.
Though I would place the mullahs, as the most anti evolutionary bunch of hoodlums, they are not Arabs.
Even Ayatollah Sistani is a Persian born cleric with British aspirations of controlling Shiite Arab population in Southern Iraq.
Same as 50%+ of the Jewish Israelis that are Iranian born Persians including priminister Netanyahu and living in Israel.
There is nothing wrong with being Arab. Due to lack of recourses, just a larger majority of them have been denied education.
The Religion of Islam, if not viewed as means to power through separating the church and state can produce a very peace loving community of people. I know it sounds absurd now, but just recall when America’s best friend was Shah of Iran. (Shah means Persian King)
PS. USSSR went bankrupt in Afghanistan. There is an under appreciation for a prolong gorilla war that we need to be aware of. We might have declared the war operations over in 100 hours in Iraq. But we are plenty busy still mopping.
Keep up the fight for Irans Freedom.
I didn't know that Netanyahu was of Persian race -
do you have weblinks about his biograpohy?
A physical war with Iran is a can of warms you don’t want to open. They have sleepers everywhere around the world. The easiest way is from inside. These guys are nothing if people of Iran unite and organize. Support that.
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