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Saudis rally in support of Bahraini protesters - April 15, 2011 - English
Hundreds of people in Saudi Arabia have protested against the Saudi occupation of Bahrain and demanded the release of all political prisoners held in Saudi custody without trial.
Hundreds of people in Saudi Arabia have protested against the Saudi occupation of Bahrain and demanded the release of all political prisoners held in Saudi custody without trial.
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[12 May 2012] Obama woos PG kings ahead of US vote -News Analysis - English
[12 May 2012] Obama woos PG kings ahead of US vote -News Analysis - English
Bahrain's revolution has continued: In the most recent demonstrations, protesters demanded the release of women...
[12 May 2012] Obama woos PG kings ahead of US vote -News Analysis - English
Bahrain's revolution has continued: In the most recent demonstrations, protesters demanded the release of women prisoners, many of them locked up during more than a year of protests against the ruling regime. This includes Zainab al-Khawaja, daughter of a jailed activist Abdul Hadi al Khawaja, both on a hunger strike, and both detained. Meanwhile, US Secretary State received her guest, the crown prince of the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, in the US.
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[12 May 2012] Obama woos PG kings ahead of US vote -News Analysis - English
Bahrain's revolution has continued: In the most recent demonstrations, protesters demanded the release of women prisoners, many of them locked up during more than a year of protests against the ruling regime. This includes Zainab al-Khawaja, daughter of a jailed activist Abdul Hadi al Khawaja, both on a hunger strike, and both detained. Meanwhile, US Secretary State received her guest, the crown prince of the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain, in the US.
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[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
During the last year the government of Bahrain has been internationally condemned for its use of deadly force against...
[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
During the last year the government of Bahrain has been internationally condemned for its use of deadly force against peaceful demonstrators.
It's been slammed for marginalizing the majority Shia population, for torturing and mistreating political prisoners, and for harassing human rights defenders, yet, despite all this, Bahrain still wants to contribute to international forums on human rights.
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[09 July 2012] Bahrain eyes seat on UN human rights committee - English
During the last year the government of Bahrain has been internationally condemned for its use of deadly force against peaceful demonstrators.
It's been slammed for marginalizing the majority Shia population, for torturing and mistreating political prisoners, and for harassing human rights defenders, yet, despite all this, Bahrain still wants to contribute to international forums on human rights.
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[26 July 2012] Islam absent in Saudi political system - English
[26 July 2012] Islam absent in Saudi political system - English
Saudi protesters have gathered in front of the interior ministry in the capital city Riyadh to demand the release of political...
[26 July 2012] Islam absent in Saudi political system - English
Saudi protesters have gathered in front of the interior ministry in the capital city Riyadh to demand the release of political prisoners held captive in the kingdom.
Interview with Dr. Syed Ali Wasif, president of the Society for International Reforms & Research
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[26 July 2012] Islam absent in Saudi political system - English
Saudi protesters have gathered in front of the interior ministry in the capital city Riyadh to demand the release of political prisoners held captive in the kingdom.
Interview with Dr. Syed Ali Wasif, president of the Society for International Reforms & Research
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[29 July 2012] Saudi monarchy unable to curb uprising - English
[29 July 2012] Saudi monarchy unable to curb uprising - English
Saudi anti-regime protesters have held fresh demonstrations across Riyadh as well as the holy city of Mecca to protest against the...
[29 July 2012] Saudi monarchy unable to curb uprising - English
Saudi anti-regime protesters have held fresh demonstrations across Riyadh as well as the holy city of Mecca to protest against the arrest of political prisoners.
Interview with Kamel Wazni, political analyst
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Description:
[29 July 2012] Saudi monarchy unable to curb uprising - English
Saudi anti-regime protesters have held fresh demonstrations across Riyadh as well as the holy city of Mecca to protest against the arrest of political prisoners.
Interview with Kamel Wazni, political analyst
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Vali Amr Muslimeen meets with Prisoners of War between Iran and Iraq - 15 August 2012 - Farsi
دیدار جمعی از آزادگان با رهبر انقلاب
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=20750
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای رهبر معظم انقلاب...
دیدار جمعی از آزادگان با رهبر انقلاب
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=20750
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی، عصر روز 25 مرداد 1390، در ديدار صدها نفر از آزادگان سرافراز، با ابراز همدردی مجدد با آسيب ديدگان زلزله اخير در بخشهايی از آذربايجان شرقی، مسئله قدس را مسئله اساسی دنيای اسلام برشمردند و تأكيد كردند: به فضل الهی، امسال نيز ملت مسلمان ايران، در روز قدس با حركت خود مشتی بر دهان دشمنان اسلام و فلسطين خواهد زد.
ايشان غصب سرزمين اسلامی فلسطين و اسكان صهيونيستها در اين سرزمين را مبنای مهندسی معيوب خاورميانه و ريشه مشكلات دهه های اخير ملتهای اين منطقه دانستند و خاطرنشان كردند: اگر اين توطئه نبود اين جنگها، اختلافات و دخالتهای سلطه گران و زورگويان نيز بوجود نمی آمد.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی افزودند: صهيونيستها و حاميانشان سعی فراوان می كنند تا مسئله فلسطين در افكار عمومی ملتها به فراموشی سپرده شود اما دنيای اسلام بايد در مقابل اين خدعه و توطئه بايستد.
ايشان با اشاره به توجه خاص و تأكيد امام خمينی بر مسئله فلسطين از همان اوايل شكل گيری نهضت اسلامی افزودند: پيروزی انقلاب اسلامی تلاش سلطه گران را برای فراموش شدن غصب فلسطين با يك مانع تاريخی روبرو كرده است.
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای با اشاره به برخی تلاشها برای فراموش شدن مسئله فلسطين افزودند: در همين چارچوب بحث شيعه و سنی و هلال شيعی را مطرح می كنند در حاليكه 60 سال است ملت فلسطين زير چشم اينگونه افراد تحت فشار است اما صدايی از آنها بر نمی آيد.
ايشان سؤال كردند: آيا مطرح كردن نام جمهوری اسلامی كه مسئله فلسطين را بازسازی و احيا كرده است به عنوان خطر دنيای اسلام و سكوت در برابر فجايع صهيونيستها خيانت نيست.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی با تأكيد بر ايستادگی ملت ايران در مقابل توطئه فراموش شدن فلسطين و قدس شريف افزودند: مسئله قدس برای ما، مسئله تاكتيكی نيست بلكه از اعتقادات عميق اسلامی سرچشمه می گيرد و ما نجات اين كشور اسلامی از سلطه و چنگال غاصبان صهيونيست و حاميان بين المللی آنها را يك وظيفه دينی می دانيم و ديگر ملتها و دولتهای اسلامی نيز بايد با همين چشم به موضوع فلسطين نگاه كنند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی تأكيد كردند: همچنانكه ستاره صبح اميد يك بار در پيروزی انقلاب اسلامی، يكبار در حماسه دفاع مقدس و يك بار در بازگشت آزادگان درخشيد به ياری حق، شفق اميد در مسئله فلسطين نيز خواهد درخشيد و اين سرزمين اسلامی قطعاً به ملت فلسطين باز خواهد گشت و زائده دروغين و جعلی صهيونيستی از صحنه جغرافيا محو خواهد شد.
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای، در بخش ديگری از بيانات خود، زلزله اخير در بخشهايی از آذربايجان شرقی و جان باختن جمعی از عزيزان هم وطن را حادثه ای تلخ، غم انگيز و باعث دردمندی همه ملت ايران خواندند و مسئولان و مردم را به ياری هم ميهنان آسيب ديده و كاهش رنج اين عزيزان توصيه مؤكد كردند.
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دیدار جمعی از آزادگان با رهبر انقلاب
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=20750
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی، عصر روز 25 مرداد 1390، در ديدار صدها نفر از آزادگان سرافراز، با ابراز همدردی مجدد با آسيب ديدگان زلزله اخير در بخشهايی از آذربايجان شرقی، مسئله قدس را مسئله اساسی دنيای اسلام برشمردند و تأكيد كردند: به فضل الهی، امسال نيز ملت مسلمان ايران، در روز قدس با حركت خود مشتی بر دهان دشمنان اسلام و فلسطين خواهد زد.
ايشان غصب سرزمين اسلامی فلسطين و اسكان صهيونيستها در اين سرزمين را مبنای مهندسی معيوب خاورميانه و ريشه مشكلات دهه های اخير ملتهای اين منطقه دانستند و خاطرنشان كردند: اگر اين توطئه نبود اين جنگها، اختلافات و دخالتهای سلطه گران و زورگويان نيز بوجود نمی آمد.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی افزودند: صهيونيستها و حاميانشان سعی فراوان می كنند تا مسئله فلسطين در افكار عمومی ملتها به فراموشی سپرده شود اما دنيای اسلام بايد در مقابل اين خدعه و توطئه بايستد.
ايشان با اشاره به توجه خاص و تأكيد امام خمينی بر مسئله فلسطين از همان اوايل شكل گيری نهضت اسلامی افزودند: پيروزی انقلاب اسلامی تلاش سلطه گران را برای فراموش شدن غصب فلسطين با يك مانع تاريخی روبرو كرده است.
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای با اشاره به برخی تلاشها برای فراموش شدن مسئله فلسطين افزودند: در همين چارچوب بحث شيعه و سنی و هلال شيعی را مطرح می كنند در حاليكه 60 سال است ملت فلسطين زير چشم اينگونه افراد تحت فشار است اما صدايی از آنها بر نمی آيد.
ايشان سؤال كردند: آيا مطرح كردن نام جمهوری اسلامی كه مسئله فلسطين را بازسازی و احيا كرده است به عنوان خطر دنيای اسلام و سكوت در برابر فجايع صهيونيستها خيانت نيست.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی با تأكيد بر ايستادگی ملت ايران در مقابل توطئه فراموش شدن فلسطين و قدس شريف افزودند: مسئله قدس برای ما، مسئله تاكتيكی نيست بلكه از اعتقادات عميق اسلامی سرچشمه می گيرد و ما نجات اين كشور اسلامی از سلطه و چنگال غاصبان صهيونيست و حاميان بين المللی آنها را يك وظيفه دينی می دانيم و ديگر ملتها و دولتهای اسلامی نيز بايد با همين چشم به موضوع فلسطين نگاه كنند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی تأكيد كردند: همچنانكه ستاره صبح اميد يك بار در پيروزی انقلاب اسلامی، يكبار در حماسه دفاع مقدس و يك بار در بازگشت آزادگان درخشيد به ياری حق، شفق اميد در مسئله فلسطين نيز خواهد درخشيد و اين سرزمين اسلامی قطعاً به ملت فلسطين باز خواهد گشت و زائده دروغين و جعلی صهيونيستی از صحنه جغرافيا محو خواهد شد.
حضرت آيت الله خامنه ای، در بخش ديگری از بيانات خود، زلزله اخير در بخشهايی از آذربايجان شرقی و جان باختن جمعی از عزيزان هم وطن را حادثه ای تلخ، غم انگيز و باعث دردمندی همه ملت ايران خواندند و مسئولان و مردم را به ياری هم ميهنان آسيب ديده و كاهش رنج اين عزيزان توصيه مؤكد كردند.
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[19 May 2013] The Debate: Obama could shut Gitmo if he wanted to - English
It is said its worse than death row: Guantanamo prison hunger strike has entered its 100th day: In a prison which US authorities are holding 166 men, most without charge, where over 100 prisoners...
It is said its worse than death row: Guantanamo prison hunger strike has entered its 100th day: In a prison which US authorities are holding 166 men, most without charge, where over 100 prisoners are on a hunger strike.
Human rights groups have called on the Defense Department to halt the force-feeding, in itself a form of torture.
In this edition of the show we will be discussing the Guantanamo prison, and why the US President has yet again failed on his promise to close this prison.
Watch this video on our website: http://www.presstv.com/detail/303975....
Follow our Facebook on: https://www.facebook.com/presstv
Follow our Twitter on: http://twitter.com/presstv
Follow our Tumblr on: http://presstvchannel.tumblr.com
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It is said its worse than death row: Guantanamo prison hunger strike has entered its 100th day: In a prison which US authorities are holding 166 men, most without charge, where over 100 prisoners are on a hunger strike.
Human rights groups have called on the Defense Department to halt the force-feeding, in itself a form of torture.
In this edition of the show we will be discussing the Guantanamo prison, and why the US President has yet again failed on his promise to close this prison.
Watch this video on our website: http://www.presstv.com/detail/303975....
Follow our Facebook on: https://www.facebook.com/presstv
Follow our Twitter on: http://twitter.com/presstv
Follow our Tumblr on: http://presstvchannel.tumblr.com
5:37
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[17 May 13] US violates human rights at Gitmo - English
A hunger strike by prisoners at the US-run Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba has entered its 100st day, amid national and international calls for the closure of the notorious prison. Nearly 130 out of...
A hunger strike by prisoners at the US-run Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba has entered its 100st day, amid national and international calls for the closure of the notorious prison. Nearly 130 out of a total of 166 inmates in the military detention and torture center were reported to be still on hunger strike on Friday.
The strike began in February in protest to mistreatment by prison guards who intimidate the detainees by searching their personal belongings and deliberately mishandling their copies of the holy Qur\'an.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Kamel Wazne, political commentator, about this issue.
Follow our Facebook on: https://www.facebook.com/presstv
Follow our Twitter on: http://twitter.com/presstv
Follow our Tumblr on: http://presstvchannel.tumblr.com
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Description:
A hunger strike by prisoners at the US-run Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba has entered its 100st day, amid national and international calls for the closure of the notorious prison. Nearly 130 out of a total of 166 inmates in the military detention and torture center were reported to be still on hunger strike on Friday.
The strike began in February in protest to mistreatment by prison guards who intimidate the detainees by searching their personal belongings and deliberately mishandling their copies of the holy Qur\'an.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Kamel Wazne, political commentator, about this issue.
Follow our Facebook on: https://www.facebook.com/presstv
Follow our Twitter on: http://twitter.com/presstv
Follow our Tumblr on: http://presstvchannel.tumblr.com
1:53
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[30 Oct 2013] Freed Palestinians return to Gaza - English
26 Palestinian prisoners who were imprisoned prior to the signing of the so-called Oslo Peace accord were released late Tuesday night.Only five of them are from the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of people...
26 Palestinian prisoners who were imprisoned prior to the signing of the so-called Oslo Peace accord were released late Tuesday night.Only five of them are from the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of people mainly family members waited to welcome them as they were making their way through the Israeli controlled Erez crossing in northern Gaza.
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26 Palestinian prisoners who were imprisoned prior to the signing of the so-called Oslo Peace accord were released late Tuesday night.Only five of them are from the Gaza Strip. Hundreds of people mainly family members waited to welcome them as they were making their way through the Israeli controlled Erez crossing in northern Gaza.
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550 Palestinians return home under 2nd phase of prisoner swap deal - 19 Dec 2011 - English
550 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons on Sunday evening in the second and final phase of a prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released...
550 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons on Sunday evening in the second and final phase of a prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel
in exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The freed prisoners were received by thousands of cheering family members and friends gathered in Ramallah to receive them. Out of the 550 freed prisoners, two are from Jerusalem al-Quds, 506 are from other parts of the West Bank, 40 from Gaza, and 2 are Jordanian. Also, Israel released 55 out of the 164 under-the-age-of-18-years-old Palestinian prisoners and 6 out of the 11 female prisoners.
Before the release of the prisoners, confrontations broke out between anticipating Palestinian youth and the Israeli occupation forces in front of the Israeli Ofar prison, where the West bank prisoners were released from. 25 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier were wounded.
400 out of the 550 prisoners released on Sunday have finished two-thirds of their sentences.
Since the first phase of the prisoner exchange, Israel has detained approximately the same number of Palestinians that it freed 2 months ago. Now The Palestinians have concerns that Israel will replace the
550 prisoners freed today with the same number of Palestinians in their prisons within the next few months.
More...
Description:
550 Palestinians were released from Israeli prisons on Sunday evening in the second and final phase of a prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released by Israel
in exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The freed prisoners were received by thousands of cheering family members and friends gathered in Ramallah to receive them. Out of the 550 freed prisoners, two are from Jerusalem al-Quds, 506 are from other parts of the West Bank, 40 from Gaza, and 2 are Jordanian. Also, Israel released 55 out of the 164 under-the-age-of-18-years-old Palestinian prisoners and 6 out of the 11 female prisoners.
Before the release of the prisoners, confrontations broke out between anticipating Palestinian youth and the Israeli occupation forces in front of the Israeli Ofar prison, where the West bank prisoners were released from. 25 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier were wounded.
400 out of the 550 prisoners released on Sunday have finished two-thirds of their sentences.
Since the first phase of the prisoner exchange, Israel has detained approximately the same number of Palestinians that it freed 2 months ago. Now The Palestinians have concerns that Israel will replace the
550 prisoners freed today with the same number of Palestinians in their prisons within the next few months.
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[FARSI][31Aug11] Eid ul Fitr Complete Sermon - Leader warns of plots to hijack victories - 1 Shawwal 1432
NEWS DETAILS ***** Leader warns of plots to hijack victories ***** Leader pardons 1218 prisoners ahead of Eid *****
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196660.html...
NEWS DETAILS ***** Leader warns of plots to hijack victories ***** Leader pardons 1218 prisoners ahead of Eid *****
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196660.html
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196526.html
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned against plots hatched by enemies to hijack the Muslim world\'s achievements, urging Muslim nations to remain vigilant.
Nations in Muslim countries must be vigilant and cautious not to permit enemies to hijack their victories, said Ayatollah Khamenei in an address to massive crowds of worshipers during the Eid al-Fitr prayers at Tehran University on Wednesday.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to “big events” which have taken place in the Muslim world during the recent months and added that the world is going through an important chapter in its history at the current juncture.
The Leader stated that Muslims are currently present in the scene and emphasized that the puppets of the United States and Israel are falling in the region “one after another.”
However, issues have not been settled; this is the start of a long path, the Leader pointed out.
***** Leader pardons prisoners ahead of Eid *****
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196526.html
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali KhameneiLeader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has agreed to a request from Iran\'s judiciary chief to pardon a number of prisoners on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday agreed to pardon and grant reduction in jail terms to a number of prisoners, the Leader\'s website reported.
The decision was in response to a letter from Iran\'s Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani asking for clemency for the remaining jail terms and financial penalties of prisoners.
On Saturday, Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi announced that Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had ordered the early release or a reduction in the prison sentences of 1,218 prisoners convicted of security-related crimes.
Dolatabadi stated that the prisoners who had been granted clemency had repented of the crimes they committed.
The Leader\'s decision came ahead of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured.
Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, given the belief that it was in Ramadan when the first verses of the Holy Qur\'an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
More...
Description:
NEWS DETAILS ***** Leader warns of plots to hijack victories ***** Leader pardons 1218 prisoners ahead of Eid *****
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196660.html
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196526.html
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned against plots hatched by enemies to hijack the Muslim world\'s achievements, urging Muslim nations to remain vigilant.
Nations in Muslim countries must be vigilant and cautious not to permit enemies to hijack their victories, said Ayatollah Khamenei in an address to massive crowds of worshipers during the Eid al-Fitr prayers at Tehran University on Wednesday.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to “big events” which have taken place in the Muslim world during the recent months and added that the world is going through an important chapter in its history at the current juncture.
The Leader stated that Muslims are currently present in the scene and emphasized that the puppets of the United States and Israel are falling in the region “one after another.”
However, issues have not been settled; this is the start of a long path, the Leader pointed out.
***** Leader pardons prisoners ahead of Eid *****
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/196526.html
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali KhameneiLeader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has agreed to a request from Iran\'s judiciary chief to pardon a number of prisoners on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
Ayatollah Khamenei on Tuesday agreed to pardon and grant reduction in jail terms to a number of prisoners, the Leader\'s website reported.
The decision was in response to a letter from Iran\'s Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani asking for clemency for the remaining jail terms and financial penalties of prisoners.
On Saturday, Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi announced that Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei had ordered the early release or a reduction in the prison sentences of 1,218 prisoners convicted of security-related crimes.
Dolatabadi stated that the prisoners who had been granted clemency had repented of the crimes they committed.
The Leader\'s decision came ahead of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and indulging in anything that is in excess or ill-natured.
Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, given the belief that it was in Ramadan when the first verses of the Holy Qur\'an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
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[09 Dec 2013] US judges question necessity of genital searches of Guantanamo inmates - English
In the US prison at Guantanamo, despite various calls for a halt to humiliating and degrading treatment of inmates, such acts continue. In the latest development, US appeals court judges are...
In the US prison at Guantanamo, despite various calls for a halt to humiliating and degrading treatment of inmates, such acts continue. In the latest development, US appeals court judges are questioning the need for genital searches of prisoners before meeting their lawyers. At a hearing of a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Judge Thomas Griffith said that checking the prisoners\' private parts was both provocative and offensive. Griffith then cited the detainees\' right to have easy access to their lawyers as a legal obligation of the court. Some of the prisoners have decided not to meet their lawyers because genital searches were required beforehand. Meanwhile, another US appeals court is reviewing whether it is necessary to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners, an act which some people describe as torture.
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Description:
In the US prison at Guantanamo, despite various calls for a halt to humiliating and degrading treatment of inmates, such acts continue. In the latest development, US appeals court judges are questioning the need for genital searches of prisoners before meeting their lawyers. At a hearing of a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Judge Thomas Griffith said that checking the prisoners\' private parts was both provocative and offensive. Griffith then cited the detainees\' right to have easy access to their lawyers as a legal obligation of the court. Some of the prisoners have decided not to meet their lawyers because genital searches were required beforehand. Meanwhile, another US appeals court is reviewing whether it is necessary to force-feed hunger-striking prisoners, an act which some people describe as torture.
2:25
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[02 Jan 2014] Iran enacts new legislation to protect Iranians outside of the country - English
New legislation to support Iranians imprisoned outside of Iran. According to Iranian Foreign Ministry officials, there are around four million Iranian living outside of the country out of which...
New legislation to support Iranians imprisoned outside of Iran. According to Iranian Foreign Ministry officials, there are around four million Iranian living outside of the country out of which less than one percent, 3300 are imprisoned in different countries. These are prisoners that have reported their status to Iranian embassies. Officials say that Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Iraq are countries with most Iranian prisoners.
Officials say some Iranians are imprisoned for political issues such acting against unilateral sanctions imposed by the West against Iran. Shahrzad Mirgholikhan was imprisoned in the United States for 58 months for similar charges she says were committed by her former husband. She says she was already tried and charged in Vienna by US authorities. Director General of Office of Iranians Abroad of Iran Foreign Ministry Seyyed Kazem Sajadi, talked about the number of freed Iranian prisoners Iran has bilateral agreement with Turkey, Syria, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan to transfer Iranian prisoners so they can serve their sentences inside the country. Tajikistan, Algeria, Ukraine, Kuwait, India have signed similar agreements with Iran yet the agreement has not become effective yet.
More...
Description:
New legislation to support Iranians imprisoned outside of Iran. According to Iranian Foreign Ministry officials, there are around four million Iranian living outside of the country out of which less than one percent, 3300 are imprisoned in different countries. These are prisoners that have reported their status to Iranian embassies. Officials say that Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Iraq are countries with most Iranian prisoners.
Officials say some Iranians are imprisoned for political issues such acting against unilateral sanctions imposed by the West against Iran. Shahrzad Mirgholikhan was imprisoned in the United States for 58 months for similar charges she says were committed by her former husband. She says she was already tried and charged in Vienna by US authorities. Director General of Office of Iranians Abroad of Iran Foreign Ministry Seyyed Kazem Sajadi, talked about the number of freed Iranian prisoners Iran has bilateral agreement with Turkey, Syria, Thailand, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan to transfer Iranian prisoners so they can serve their sentences inside the country. Tajikistan, Algeria, Ukraine, Kuwait, India have signed similar agreements with Iran yet the agreement has not become effective yet.
2:57
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[30 Oct 2013] 26 Palestinians released from israeli prisons - English
26 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. However, thousands of Palestinians remain in Israeli detention centers. 21 of the prisoners are from the West Bank and the other five are...
26 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. However, thousands of Palestinians remain in Israeli detention centers. 21 of the prisoners are from the West Bank and the other five are from the Gaza Strip. They are the second group of prisoners that have been released since August. Israel approved the prisoner release under the terms of the renewed US-brokered talks with the Palestinians. Tel Aviv agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners in stages following the start of negotiations on July 30.
More...
Description:
26 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons. However, thousands of Palestinians remain in Israeli detention centers. 21 of the prisoners are from the West Bank and the other five are from the Gaza Strip. They are the second group of prisoners that have been released since August. Israel approved the prisoner release under the terms of the renewed US-brokered talks with the Palestinians. Tel Aviv agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners in stages following the start of negotiations on July 30.
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 1 - English
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez,...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 2 - English
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez,...
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president
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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record
In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities.
The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue.
The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran.
AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran.
Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more.
Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic.
Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs.
We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region.
AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place.
A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another.
But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number.
So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free.
JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that?
AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now.
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed.
AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it.
Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that.
But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy.
AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program?
PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see.
Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here.
I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end.
It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward.
I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie.
AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran.
Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is.
JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there?
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion.
Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad.
But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue.
AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad.
ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president