Iranian president says West should follow God’s path
-06/09/06
Iranian President Mahmo
Iranian president says West should follow God’s path
-06/09/06
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has urged the West to turn to God’s path.
Ahmadinejad, whose speeches are often peppered with religious remarks, also repeated a call for a live television debate with U.S. President George W. Bush so the world could choose which of the two leaders was in the right.
Iran is embroiled in a nuclear stand-off with the West, which accuses Tehran of seeking to build atomic bombs, a charge Tehran dismisses. Ahmadinejad says Western powers use such accusations as a ploy to hold back Iran’s development.
Last year, he wrote a letter challenging President George W. Bushís attachment to Christian values by time-and-again asking how his warlike actions squared up with the teachings of Jesus.
Before the letter was rejected, much of the Iranian press hailed it as the “beginning of a new phase in Iranian foreign policy” and “a turning point in Iranian-American relations” that could “lead to direct talks between the two sides” and “showed the cleverness and dignity of the Islamic Republic”.
The Iranian leader asked his American counterpart: ìCan one be a follower of Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him), the great Messenger of God, feel obliged to respect human rights, present liberalism as a model of civilization, announce one’s opposition to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and WMDs, make ëwar [on] terrorí your slogan and finally, work towards the establishment of a unified international communityî, but at the same time pursue policies of war and militarism?
But Washington has said the call for a debate is a diversion.
“We requested a face-to-face debate (with Bush) to assess the problems of the world … We will let humanity choose between us,” he told a meeting on the 12th Muslim Shi’ite imam.
“We oppose the fact that America and Britain intend to impose themselves on every other nation,” he said.
“Those who do not respond to the invitation (to follow God’s will), as we said, will have no good fate,” said Ahmadinejad, the second non-cleric to be president of the Islamic Republic.
“I do not threaten anybody, but the whole universe threatens you. The current of life in the universe opposes you, as it opposes tyranny,” he added.
“The time has passed for the use of force … All of the discrimination, wars and problems have a root in such an arrogant spirit” he said.
Ahmadinejad swept to power in last year’s presidential election promising to ensure the poor received a fairer share of Iran’s oil wealth.
Iranian president says West should follow God’s path
-06/09/06
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has urged the West to turn to God’s path.
Ahmadinejad, whose speeches are often peppered with religious remarks, also repeated a call for a live television debate with U.S. President George W. Bush so the world could choose which of the two leaders was in the right.
Iran is embroiled in a nuclear stand-off with the West, which accuses Tehran of seeking to build atomic bombs, a charge Tehran dismisses. Ahmadinejad says Western powers use such accusations as a ploy to hold back Iran’s development.
Last year, he wrote a letter challenging President George W. Bushís attachment to Christian values by time-and-again asking how his warlike actions squared up with the teachings of Jesus.
Before the letter was rejected, much of the Iranian press hailed it as the “beginning of a new phase in Iranian foreign policy” and “a turning point in Iranian-American relations” that could “lead to direct talks between the two sides” and “showed the cleverness and dignity of the Islamic Republic”.
The Iranian leader asked his American counterpart: ìCan one be a follower of Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him), the great Messenger of God, feel obliged to respect human rights, present liberalism as a model of civilization, announce one’s opposition to the proliferation of nuclear weapons and WMDs, make ëwar [on] terrorí your slogan and finally, work towards the establishment of a unified international communityî, but at the same time pursue policies of war and militarism?
But Washington has said the call for a debate is a diversion.
“We requested a face-to-face debate (with Bush) to assess the problems of the world … We will let humanity choose between us,” he told a meeting on the 12th Muslim Shi’ite imam.
“We oppose the fact that America and Britain intend to impose themselves on every other nation,” he said.
“Those who do not respond to the invitation (to follow God’s will), as we said, will have no good fate,” said Ahmadinejad, the second non-cleric to be president of the Islamic Republic.
“I do not threaten anybody, but the whole universe threatens you. The current of life in the universe opposes you, as it opposes tyranny,” he added.
“The time has passed for the use of force … All of the discrimination, wars and problems have a root in such an arrogant spirit” he said.
Ahmadinejad swept to power in last year’s presidential election promising to ensure the poor received a fairer share of Iran’s oil wealth.