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
Does Israel know it is overwhelmed by stone throwing Palestinians? LOL
Someone clue the Israelis in on this one!!!!
Of course if you vote differently than the Iranian government determines what the Sharia says you'll get your voting hand cut off.
F*ck it! Let's go ahead and find out.
I love these deluded potentates! No matter how many we crush like bugs, they keep poppin' off.
Saddam and Osama have been silenced - now the new Islamic big-mouth steps forward - Khatami. One by one.
This is funny! Yes you now understand that a country you could not defeat in 8 years, we defeated in 100 hours.
F*ck it! Let's go ahead and find out.
Damn Skippy!
I was just expressing some frustration. While I would love to be able to stop rope adoping with these neanderthals I realize it is much more complicated than tossing a few nukes their way.
But I have to say I'm not sure, in the end, it will matter how carefully we proceed with Iran or countries like it. In the end we may not be able to win 'The Arab Street'.
Thanks for your reply:
btw, Iranians are not Arabs - they are the Persian race and culture. Completely different than Arabs - we even cook our Kabob totally different.
Persians are the ones with all the deep culture, poetry, universal declaration of human rights, mathematicians, astronomers, carpets, etc.. Arabs basically are good at invading and destroying.
Liberal: Would you like to make a wager? I bet that it will be the Iranian people who remove the regime -
let me know if you want to bet: If US works policy correctly the Mullahs will be gone within a matter of a few months - starting next week.
Good place to put a lot of troops from Europe and Korea would be right up against the Iranian border. We could also stand to fund and start training another division. If we combined that with bypassing big oil and taking the oil weapon entirely out of Mid-Eastern hands we'd win this thing big time. We don't need to invade, just call their bluff.
Let me sleep on it ;)
I cannot tell, based on your response, whether you are Arab or Persian. My reference to the 'Arab Street' is from the popular lexicon of today and is meant to encompass all Muslims and our supposed need to 'win' their hearts and minds.
You'll excuse me if I have a VERY difficult time equating Iranians (Persians) or any predominantly Muslim country with Human Rights. I've seen too much over the past few years to buy into that.
As for the rest of the contributions on your list i.e. poetry, mathematicians, astronomers, all these ceased as soon as oil was discovered in the ME and Asian sub-continent and they decided they no longer needed to be concerned with the advancement of their societies or the rights of their citizens.
IMHO
Actually Dad - incorrect:
First of all I am Persian: Second of all 'Arab Street' is a lowsy way to categorize all Muslims simply because there are millions upon millions of non-Arab muslims. Third: Persian culture and contributions to the world are some of the most important ever made by man. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was formulated by Cyrus The Great who was a great Persian general and leader - who freed thousands of Jews from Babylonian prisons. Have you ever heard of Omar Khayyam or Hafez or Ferdowsi or Rumi? Who do you think came up with Algebra? Who devised much of the physics and stuff we know about the universe and planets?
Okay - so you believe that Persians said "fuck it" and are responsible for the fanaticism eminating from the Middle East. If you believe that, then that's your perogative - but I hate to tell you, you're wrong. Persians in fact throughout history have been fighting fanaticism - whether from Islam or any other invading force. Persian Poetry and artwork always talks about and depicts a constant battle against the dirty clerics -
The true religion of Persians is Zoroastrianism - and I tell you it goes much much further back in history than Christianity, Judaism and Islam.. Where do you think much of the Christmas ideas come from or many celebrations in other religions?
'night
You have your views and your obviously welcome to them.
As for the Persian "constant battle against the dirty clerics", your losing in a big way and the rest of the world is being forced to clean up the mess.
Bye
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