Khatami warns US against attacking Shiite cities, killing Sadr
IranMania News
Apr 21st, 2004
TEHRAN, April 21 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami warned US troops Wednesday that attacking the Iraqi Shiite holy cities of Najaf and Karbala would be "suicide" and cautioned against killing firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr.
"An attack against Najaf and Karbala would be an act of suicide by the occupation forces, and it would provoke the resentment of all the Muslim world, especially Shiites," the president told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
"I do not think they will make such an error, because if they did they would be caught up in a storm," Khatami said.
Sadr, who is leading a rebellion against occupation forces, has been holed up in Najaf for the past two weeks, wanted in connection with the murder of a rival pro-US cleric a year ago. US forces have said they will capture or kill him and have reinforced troop numbers near the city.
Najaf and Karbala are two of the holiest cities for Shiite Muslims, and are home to the shrines of Imams Ali and Hossein -- the most important figures in the branch of Islam that dominates Iraq and Iran.
Although Iran has distanced itself from Sadr, Khatami said that to kill him would be a "provocation".
"They understand this," he said of the Americans. "We are against any provocations, and I don't think the Americans would do such a thing".
Vice President Mohammad Ali Abtahi, however, was also quick to label Sadr's methods as "unrealistic".
"This could create problems for the future of Iraq. Najaf is a holy place for us and everything should be done to prevent the provocation of an American attack, such as the extremism of Moqtada Sadr," he said.
Khatami also reiterated Iranian demands for the withdrawal of foreign troops, as well as its support for the Iraqi interim Governing Council.
"The continuation of the occupation is an insult to Iraqis and a source of the trouble there," he said.
"All Iraqi forces and groups should cooperate to get out of this crisis, and I hope the just decision by Spain (to pull out its troops) will be followed by the others," Khatami said.
http://www.iranmania.com/news/220404f.asp
French President Jacques Chirac, right, shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazzi, 2nd from left, as Iranian Ambassador to France Seyed Mohommad Sadegh Kharazi, center, looks on, after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris Wednesday, April 21, 2004. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours)
Although Iran has distanced itself from Sadr, Khatami said that to kill him would be a "provocation". Major bullcrap alert here.
Iran finances al-Sadr. Now Agence Fart Presse claims "Iran has distanced itself from Sadr."
Whereas China and North Korea are "like lips and teeth," Iran and al-Sadr are "like lips and butt."
And since its Agence FRANCE Presse reporting this lie, here's Chirac applying the lips to Iran's butt:
And Jean French Kerry, too:
