U.S. denies regime change plan for Iran

washingtontimes.com ^ | February 03, 2005 | UPI

[F14 Pilot]

Washington, DC, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department said Thursday it was not pursuing a policy of regime change in Iran.

"The United States has been very clear, its officials have been very clear that we do not have a policy of regime change towards Iran," deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said.

Fears the United States might try to topple the Iranian regime were stoked last month after New Yorker magazine said U.S. military personnel were operating inside Iran and gathering information about possible nuclear facilities and weapons sites. In his State of the Union address Wednesday, President Bush singled out Iran as "the world's primary state sponsor of terror."

Ereli said the United States supported the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom and the current government is "acting against those freedoms."

The two sides have not had diplomatic relations since the 1979 revolution that established the Islamic republic.

[F14 Pilot]

WHAT?

[drt1]

Would seem to be at odds with the rumblings emanating from Washington recently - Why say anything about a denial of our intentions?

[TexasCajun]

I believe regime change in Iran will be from within!

And I'm sure we're already helping plenty!

[ken5050]

That's the standard party-line denial..

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

Jimmy Carter threw them (the Iranian populace) to the Khomeini-dogs.....maybe we owe them a bit of surprise restitution, overtly or otherwise.

[ken5050]

When I heard the President's comments at the SOTU, my initial reaction was that he had basically invited the Iranian people to throw out the mullahs..

[Cyclopean Squid]

Note that it's the State Department that issued the statement.

[drt1]

Jimmah Carter let us down with his mind numbing naivety? Say it ain't so - I mean he's a 'Peace' prize winner isn't he? And he's done so much good in North Korea, Venezuela and building all those houses. /sarc

[Dog]

Ereli said the United States supported the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom and the current government is "acting against those freedoms."

Here is the key passage.

[F14 Pilot]

Condi is the Secretary of State now, not Powell

[Dog]

Makes NO difference.

We can't be seen having a hand in the mullahs being overthrown.

The revolution will have come from within.

The key as you know are the students....and their hunger for freedom.

Do they want it enough to take on the Iranian security forces?

I think they are up to the challenge.

[freethinkingman]

I agree with the earlier statement that Bush has invited the citizens of Iran to "take out their trash".
I believe the statement "When you stand for fredom we will stand with you". Means that they have to make the first move.

[F14 Pilot]

Yeah!

[elhombrelibre]

The State Department always likes to drag its feet and play footsie with dictators.

[thoughtomator]

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'good dog' whilst searching for a rock."

[ChinaThreat]

Feint...lunge....feint...lunge (keepem guessing).

[F14 Pilot]

European Union Foreign and Security Policy representative Javier Solana, right, talks with Iran's Vice-President and head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation Gholamreza Aghazadeh in Solana's office at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday Feb. 1, 2005. Iran has suspended enrichment activities _ which can produce both nuclear fuel and the core of atomic weapons _ during the talks, but has repeatedly insisted the freeze will be of short duration. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

[Reza2004]

As it should be officially said. Iranian people wish and will do the regime change and we just need to mind them.

[Calpernia]

Calm down. Things are going to happen. Just not how you expect.