Posted on 08/07/2005 10:00:54 AM PDT by DoctorZIn
Top News Story
Iran won't be intimidated, new president says
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's new President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday the Islamic Republic, facing intense pressure from the West over its nuclear ambitions, would not be intimidated.
Taking the oath of office in parliament following his stunning June election win, the former Tehran mayor said his priority would be to tackle unemployment and his foreign policy would seek to reduce international threats.
"We are logical and respect international rules, but will not give in to those who want to violate our rights," he said in a brief address. "The Iranian nation cannot be intimidated."
The European Union on Friday offered Iran a package of incentives to scrap nuclear fuel work while saying it would be sent to the U.N. Security Council if it did not.
Iran, which denies U.S. accusations that its nuclear energy programme is a smokescreen for making atomic bombs, said on Saturday the EU proposal was unacceptable. It says it will remove U.N. seals on some nuclear equipment this week.
Ahmadinejad, 48, who replaced reformist cleric Mohammad Khatami, is a religious conservative who diplomats expect will adopt a tougher approach in the nuclear negotiations.
However, in spite of the heightened tension surrounding the issue, he made no direct reference to it during his speech.
"Seeking justice, peace and the removal of threats are three main elements of our foreign policy," he said.
The former Revolutionary Guard, who upset political veteran and former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to win June's election, swore his oath of office on the Koran before embracing Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi.
MONOPOLY ON POWER
His arrival in office brings to a close Khatami's largely unsuccessful eight-year experiment in reforms. Religious conservatives now enjoy a monpoly on power, dominating parliament and controlling key bodies such as the armed forces, judiciary and broadcast media.
The president in Iran appoints ministers who manage the day-to-day business of government. However, the government's power is checked by several of unelected bodies answerable to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the most powerful figure in Iran who is appointed for life.
Elected with strong support among the devout poor who feel Iran's massive oil wealth has passed them by, Ahmadinejad devoted most of his speech to the need to tackle poverty.
"People's main concerns are unemployment, welfare and the gap between income and expenditure," he said, but gave no details of policies he would adopt.
Deeply loyal to the values of the 1979 Islamic revolution, Ahmadinejad has been plagued by rumours about his past activities since his election win.
The United States says he was a leader in the student movement behind the storming of its embassy in Tehran after the revolution and is trying to determine whether he was a hostage-taker himself, which he and those who took part deny.
Ahmadinejad also faces massive economic challenges in a country where growth is slipping and oilfields, the country's lifeblood, are losing capacity.
His victory has unsettled the investment community. He has vowed to clean out corruption in the oil industry and give preference in investment deals to local over foreign firms.
Analysts say investors should take a "wait and see" approach, arguing that Ahmadinejad took a pragmatic line as mayor of Tehran and could well do so again as president.
Ahmadinejad has two weeks to nominate his cabinet ministers to parliament for approval.
- The Times UK reported that Europe and Iran are in the midst of a serious diplomatic showdown.
- Kuwait News Agency reported that Lebanese Hezbollah said the Iranian leadership asserted its continued support for Lebanon, its unity, and resistance.
- Daily Times reported that a UN inspection team is set to leave for Iran to install cameras to monitor a crucial site where Iran wants to resume nuclear fuel work.
- Iran Press Service reported that the bloody unrest continues in at least three Iranian provinces.
- Reuters reported that Kurdish police dispersed hundreds of Kurds protesting outside U.N. offices in northern Iraq on Saturday over reports of detentions of dozens of Iranian Kurds just across the border.
- SMCCDI reported that the unrest and clashes continued in several northwestern cities, such as, Mahabad and Bookan.
- The New York Times reported that many of the new, more sophisticated roadside bombs used to attack American and government forces in Iraq have been designed in Iran and shipped in from there.
- Dow Jones Newswires reported that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Saturday said Iran was taking a "confrontational course" by rejecting European Union proposals for its nuclear program and forecast the matter will go to the U.N. Security Council unless Tehran backs down.
- Reporters Without Borders condemned a wave of harassment of Kurdish journalists by local authorities in Iranian Kurdistan.
- Reza Bayegan, Iran va Jahan discussed Ahmadinejad's promises to reform the Iranian oil industry with an expert, Dr Parviz Mina.
- And finally, Iran Press News reported on the unrest in the Iranian city of Saqqez. Huge protests there have lead to clashes with the authorities and the number of injured continues to increase and witnesses described the hospitals as having been turned into prisons! A must read.
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The clock is ticking.
Allowing the lunatic Mullahs to have nukes is the same as allowing Al Qaeda to have them.
Millions of lives hang in the balance.
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
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Exactly
It hasn't passed you by folks, it's been handed out to terrorists all over the world. They are driving mercedes and BMWs on YOUR money, they are living the high life while recruiting people like you to blow themselves up. YOUR money, the money that should have been spent to educate YOUR children is going to finance the purchase of weapons and explosives.
We have an old score to settle with the mullahs. Time to go in and do em. The risk of inaction is far greater than the risk of action.
I think it's high time we bomb Iran's capital to see whether they will in fact be intimidated.
Reuters continues to spin spin spin without shame.
Well, we'll see. History will judge!
Assad & Ahmadinejad of Iran in a meeting yesterday!
To read today’s thread click here.
Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!
"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin”
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