Posted on 09/20/2013 1:03:12 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in a television interview, said his country is not seeking war but harshly criticized Israel for bringing "instability" to the Middle East and for questioning his government's intentions toward nuclear arms.
The comments from the new Iranian president came during the second part of an interview with NBC News that aired on Thursday, just days before he travels to New York for an appearance at the United Nations.
Rouhani called Israel "an occupier, a usurper government that does injustice to the people of the region" and said it "has brought instability to the region with its war-mongering policies."
But when asked further about Israel, Rouhani also said: "What we wish for in this region is rule by the will of the people. We believe in the ballot box. We do not seek war with any country. We seek peace and friendship among the nations of the region."
In an earlier part of the interview that aired on Wednesday, Rouhani said Iran would never develop nuclear weapons and that he had "complete authority" to negotiate a nuclear deal with the United States and other Western powers.
Rouhani, who took office in August, reiterated that stance when asked about recent comments by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu questioning his motives. Israel, thought to be the only nuclear-armed power in the Middle East, is pushing to halt Iran's nuclear advance, and Netanyahu has called Rouhani a "wolf in sheep's clothing."
"We have clearly stated that we are not in pursuit if nuclear weapons and will not be," Rouhani told NBC.
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...
Oh, what a surprise. Behold the “moderate” viewpoint.
Further attempts to isolate and beat down Israel, America’s only reliable ally in the Middle East.
And thanks to the Idiot-in-Chief in the White House, it’s working just fine, thank you.
The President of Iran is correct. All the troubles in the middle east is due to a stubbornly held belief of the Israelis.
The belief: That Israel has a RIGHT to EXIST.
That’s it in a nutshell. No need to post several paragraphs filled with “wisdom”. All of this tumult is due to 3 words. RIGHT TO EXIST.
Moderate or not, he's an elected official and you can't get elected dog catcher in Iran if you say anything nice about Israel. Or anywhere else in the Middle East for that matter.
Those pesky Jews......
Sure, he’s an “elected official” . . . from the pile of pre-selected candidates chosen by the Guardian Council. And “elected” via a very suspect process. Never mind the position of president having no power, since the Supreme Leader holds absolute power.
Did you have a point?
I'm not defending Iran, let alone the Iranian electoral system, but you're out of your mind if you think that ANY electoral system, no matter how free and how fair, could produce a pro-Israel candidate anywhere in the Middle East.
That’s OK, because no such thought entered into my head. It’s the press with their blather about Rowhani being “moderate” that I was speaking out against, especially when there was a plethora of evidence that he was always an apocalyptic Twelver, and even in charge of the nuke program for a long time.
Indeed, a great many (if not all) of the Arab “Palestinians” in the Knesset, which is that region’s most free elected body (in spite of being unicameral), are just as radical.
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