Posted on 11/07/2008 5:00:17 AM PST by yoe
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday congratulated Barack Obama on his election win — the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a U.S. president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
An analyst said the statement was a gesture from the hard-line president that he's open to some sort of reconciliation with the U.S.
Obama has said he is willing to hold direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders as a way to break the impasse between the two countries or give the U.S. more credibility to press for tougher sanctions if talks fail. His policy marks a departure from the Bush administration, which has refused high-level engagements with Iran.
In his comments, Ahmadinejad congratulated the Democrat on "attracting the majority of voters in the election." The text of Ahmadinejad's statement was carried by the official IRNA news agency.
Ahmadinejad also said he hopes Obama will "use the opportunity to serve the (American) people and leave a good name for history" during his term in office.
[snip] "Dialogue at this time is liable to broadcast weakness," cautioned Livni, who is head of the governing Kadima Party. "I think early dialogue at a time when it appears to Iran that the world has given up on sanctions could be problematic."
Israeli officials describe Iran as the biggest threat to the Jewish state's existence, citing Ahmadinejad's frequent calls for Israel's destruction and its development of long-range missiles capable of striking the Jewish state.
[snip] Iran sees Obama's victory as a triumph over the unpopular policies of U.S. President George W. Bush, who repeatedly clashed with Iranian leaders while in office over Iran's nuclear program and its opposition to the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.google.com ...
They feel they could build up quite an arsenal, with impunity, under obama. I feel they are correct. o’s hatred of America and delusional sense of ‘fairness’ probably delights the terrorists to no end.
What's that old saying about a Leopard...
The AP thinks we’re supposed to be overjoyed?
How long before Obama sells them F-22s?
birds of a feather....
AP got it wrong. Iran’s extended it hand not in congratulations to Obama. Rather, they too are looking for a handout.
They extend one hand, while hiding a sword with the other.
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