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[28 Nov 2013] Iran landmark nuclear deal welcomed in Europe - English
The recent nuclear deal between Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany has been welcomed with cautious optimism on both sides. But what does a successful agreement...
The recent nuclear deal between Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany has been welcomed with cautious optimism on both sides. But what does a successful agreement actually mean for Iran and Europe.
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Description:
The recent nuclear deal between Iran and the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany has been welcomed with cautious optimism on both sides. But what does a successful agreement actually mean for Iran and Europe.
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Al-Azhar Welcomes Ayatullah Khamenei Fatwa - 03 Oct 2010 - English
Ayatullah Khamenei Fatwa about prohibiting the dis-respect of any Companion (Sahaba) of the Prophet (SAWW) or His (SAWW) any wife is welcomed by Al-Azhar University.
Ayatullah Khamenei Fatwa about prohibiting the dis-respect of any Companion (Sahaba) of the Prophet (SAWW) or His (SAWW) any wife is welcomed by Al-Azhar University.
0:26
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[12 Dec 2013] UNSC Iran panel says sanctions will remain in force - English
The UN committee monitoring sanctions against Iran has welcomed a recent nuclear deal between Tehran and the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany. The committee, however,...
The UN committee monitoring sanctions against Iran has welcomed a recent nuclear deal between Tehran and the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany. The committee, however, reiterated that all UN sanctions will remain in force until a final deal is reached.
The US representative to the UN was addressing the committee\'s first briefing since the Geneva accord in November. The deal offers Iran a limited sanctions relief in exchange for scaling down its nuclear program. The UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran over the country\'s nuclear energy program.
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Description:
The UN committee monitoring sanctions against Iran has welcomed a recent nuclear deal between Tehran and the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany. The committee, however, reiterated that all UN sanctions will remain in force until a final deal is reached.
The US representative to the UN was addressing the committee\'s first briefing since the Geneva accord in November. The deal offers Iran a limited sanctions relief in exchange for scaling down its nuclear program. The UN Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran over the country\'s nuclear energy program.
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Leader\\\'s Message after ARBAEEN | Farsi Sub English
Leader\\\'s Message after ARBAEEN
This year too, millions went to Karbala for Arbaeen to renew their allegiance and to pay gratitude to Imam Husayn (A). The Leader, Imam Khamenei sends a...
Leader\\\'s Message after ARBAEEN
This year too, millions went to Karbala for Arbaeen to renew their allegiance and to pay gratitude to Imam Husayn (A). The Leader, Imam Khamenei sends a message of thanks and love to everyone who participated in this largest annual gathering of the entire world. He specifically thanked Iraqi people and the government officials who welcomed the believers and showed outstanding hospitality towards the zaereen (pilgrims) of the martyrs of Karbala.
More...
Description:
Leader\\\'s Message after ARBAEEN
This year too, millions went to Karbala for Arbaeen to renew their allegiance and to pay gratitude to Imam Husayn (A). The Leader, Imam Khamenei sends a message of thanks and love to everyone who participated in this largest annual gathering of the entire world. He specifically thanked Iraqi people and the government officials who welcomed the believers and showed outstanding hospitality towards the zaereen (pilgrims) of the martyrs of Karbala.
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[19 May 13] Syrian coalition welcomes peace initative for Syria - English
The coalition of peaceful change forces in Syria held a press conference in the Syrian capital Damascus, affirming the need to multiply efforts for bringing all Syrian sides together on the table...
The coalition of peaceful change forces in Syria held a press conference in the Syrian capital Damascus, affirming the need to multiply efforts for bringing all Syrian sides together on the table of dialogue. A number of political parties, movements and committees issued a statement and welcomed the Russian American initiative that calls for a political resolution of conflict. The coalition said a political solution should be based on ending violence by all sides, rejecting the militarization of the unrest. The Syrian government had also welcomed the agreement between Russia and the US on the basis that it seeks a political solution for the Syrian dilemma.
Mohamad Ali, Press TV, Damascus
More...
Description:
The coalition of peaceful change forces in Syria held a press conference in the Syrian capital Damascus, affirming the need to multiply efforts for bringing all Syrian sides together on the table of dialogue. A number of political parties, movements and committees issued a statement and welcomed the Russian American initiative that calls for a political resolution of conflict. The coalition said a political solution should be based on ending violence by all sides, rejecting the militarization of the unrest. The Syrian government had also welcomed the agreement between Russia and the US on the basis that it seeks a political solution for the Syrian dilemma.
Mohamad Ali, Press TV, Damascus
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
More...
Description:
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
President Ahmadinejad Interview Sept 08 with Democracy Now - Part 3 - 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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Description:
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
6:41
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A Witness in Palestine - Anna Baltzer - Part 2 - English
This is part 2 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under...
This is part 2 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under the occupation. What she found would change her outlook on the conflict forever. She wrote this book and DVD to give voice to the stories of the people who welcomed her with open arms as their lives crumbled around them. For five months Baltzer lived and worked with farmers Palestinian and Israeli activists and the families of political prisoner - traveling with them across endless checkpoints and roadblocks to reach hospitals universities and olive groves. Baltzer witnessed firsthand the environmental devastation brought on by expanding settlements and outposts and the destruction wrought by Israels Security Fence - which separates many families from each other - their communities their land and basic human services. What emerges from Baltzers journal is not a sensationalist tale of suicide bombers and conspiracies - but a compelling and inspiring description of the trials of daily life under the occupation. Anna Baltzer is a Jewish American graduate of Columbia University a Fulbright scholar and two-time volunteer with the International Womens Peace Service in the West Bank - where she documented human rights abuses and supported the nonviolent resistance movement to the occupation.
More...
Description:
This is part 2 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under the occupation. What she found would change her outlook on the conflict forever. She wrote this book and DVD to give voice to the stories of the people who welcomed her with open arms as their lives crumbled around them. For five months Baltzer lived and worked with farmers Palestinian and Israeli activists and the families of political prisoner - traveling with them across endless checkpoints and roadblocks to reach hospitals universities and olive groves. Baltzer witnessed firsthand the environmental devastation brought on by expanding settlements and outposts and the destruction wrought by Israels Security Fence - which separates many families from each other - their communities their land and basic human services. What emerges from Baltzers journal is not a sensationalist tale of suicide bombers and conspiracies - but a compelling and inspiring description of the trials of daily life under the occupation. Anna Baltzer is a Jewish American graduate of Columbia University a Fulbright scholar and two-time volunteer with the International Womens Peace Service in the West Bank - where she documented human rights abuses and supported the nonviolent resistance movement to the occupation.
10:07
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A Witness in Palestine - Anna Baltzer - Part 3 - English
This is part 3 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under...
This is part 3 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under the occupation. What she found would change her outlook on the conflict forever. She wrote this book and DVD to give voice to the stories of the people who welcomed her with open arms as their lives crumbled around them. For five months Baltzer lived and worked with farmers Palestinian and Israeli activists and the families of political prisoner - traveling with them across endless checkpoints and roadblocks to reach hospitals universities and olive groves. Baltzer witnessed firsthand the environmental devastation brought on by expanding settlements and outposts and the destruction wrought by Israels Security Fence - which separates many families from each other - their communities their land and basic human services. What emerges from Baltzers journal is not a sensationalist tale of suicide bombers and conspiracies - but a compelling and inspiring description of the trials of daily life under the occupation. Anna Baltzer is a Jewish American graduate of Columbia University a Fulbright scholar and two-time volunteer with the International Womens Peace Service in the West Bank - where she documented human rights abuses and supported the nonviolent resistance movement to the occupation.
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This is part 3 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under the occupation. What she found would change her outlook on the conflict forever. She wrote this book and DVD to give voice to the stories of the people who welcomed her with open arms as their lives crumbled around them. For five months Baltzer lived and worked with farmers Palestinian and Israeli activists and the families of political prisoner - traveling with them across endless checkpoints and roadblocks to reach hospitals universities and olive groves. Baltzer witnessed firsthand the environmental devastation brought on by expanding settlements and outposts and the destruction wrought by Israels Security Fence - which separates many families from each other - their communities their land and basic human services. What emerges from Baltzers journal is not a sensationalist tale of suicide bombers and conspiracies - but a compelling and inspiring description of the trials of daily life under the occupation. Anna Baltzer is a Jewish American graduate of Columbia University a Fulbright scholar and two-time volunteer with the International Womens Peace Service in the West Bank - where she documented human rights abuses and supported the nonviolent resistance movement to the occupation.
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A Witness in Palestine - Anna Baltzer - Part 5 - English
This is part 5 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. In this part she emphasizes the non-violent forms of Palestinian resistance. She does prefer non-violent resistance as...
This is part 5 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. In this part she emphasizes the non-violent forms of Palestinian resistance. She does prefer non-violent resistance as weapons of first choice but - as I hear in her other presentations - she is not necessarily opposed to using violence in defense. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under the occupation. What she found would change her outlook on the conflict forever. She wrote this book and DVD to give voice to the stories of the people who welcomed her with open arms as their lives crumbled around them. For five months Baltzer lived and worked with farmers Palestinian and Israeli activists and the families of political prisoner - traveling with them across endless checkpoints and roadblocks to reach hospitals universities and olive groves. Baltzer witnessed firsthand the environmental devastation brought on by expanding settlements and outposts and the destruction wrought by Israels Security Fence - which separates many families from each other - their communities their land and basic human services. What emerges from Baltzers journal is not a sensationalist tale of suicide bombers and conspiracies - but a compelling and inspiring description of the trials of daily life under the occupation. Anna Baltzer is a Jewish American graduate of Columbia University a Fulbright scholar and two-time volunteer with the International Womens Peace Service in the West Bank - where she documented human rights abuses and supported the nonviolent resistance movement to the occupation.
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Description:
This is part 5 of Anna Baltzer-s DVD. Search this site for other parts. In this part she emphasizes the non-violent forms of Palestinian resistance. She does prefer non-violent resistance as weapons of first choice but - as I hear in her other presentations - she is not necessarily opposed to using violence in defense. Anna Baltzer - a young Jewish American - went to the West Bank to discover the realities of daily life for Palestinians under the occupation. What she found would change her outlook on the conflict forever. She wrote this book and DVD to give voice to the stories of the people who welcomed her with open arms as their lives crumbled around them. For five months Baltzer lived and worked with farmers Palestinian and Israeli activists and the families of political prisoner - traveling with them across endless checkpoints and roadblocks to reach hospitals universities and olive groves. Baltzer witnessed firsthand the environmental devastation brought on by expanding settlements and outposts and the destruction wrought by Israels Security Fence - which separates many families from each other - their communities their land and basic human services. What emerges from Baltzers journal is not a sensationalist tale of suicide bombers and conspiracies - but a compelling and inspiring description of the trials of daily life under the occupation. Anna Baltzer is a Jewish American graduate of Columbia University a Fulbright scholar and two-time volunteer with the International Womens Peace Service in the West Bank - where she documented human rights abuses and supported the nonviolent resistance movement to the occupation.
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Taliban is a CANCER created by US to fight Russia - News - 11May09 - English
Taliban is a CANCER created by US to fight Russia - News - 11May09 - English. While the US has welcomed Pakistan's offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president,...
Taliban is a CANCER created by US to fight Russia - News - 11May09 - English. While the US has welcomed Pakistan's offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, points out the problem was in part foisted on Pakistan by the international community.
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Taliban is a CANCER created by US to fight Russia - News - 11May09 - English. While the US has welcomed Pakistan's offensive against the Taliban in Swat, Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, points out the problem was in part foisted on Pakistan by the international community.
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[02 OCT 2010] Friday Prayer Sermon by Ayatollah Imami Kashani - Urdu
Senior cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani welcomes the Iranian president\\\'s UN address in which he called for an independent probe into the 9/11 incident.
Tehran\\\'s interim Friday...
Senior cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani welcomes the Iranian president\\\'s UN address in which he called for an independent probe into the 9/11 incident.
Tehran\\\'s interim Friday Prayers leader questioned the angry response of members of Washington\\\'s delegate, who left the UN General Assembly session, to a call that \\\"many in the world have welcomed.\\\"
\\\"Iran\\\'s argument means that your word should not be the only one dominating the world because the international community and even the American people no longer buy these words,\\\" he was quoted by IRNA as saying.
In his September 22 speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad raised doubts about the credibility of Washington\\\'s account of the source and nature of the attacks indicating that a \\\"very powerful and complex terrorist group, able to successfully cross all layers of the American intelligence and security, carried out the attack.\\\"
Ahmadinejad said despite the cited claim many throughout the world believe that \\\"some segments within the US government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime [of Israel].\\\"
\\\"Nations welcome a probe into this incident, but you accused others with [your] incoherent talk and blamed them for the attacks and massacred and violated the innocent people of Afghanistan,\\\" Ayatollah Emami Kashani said, addressing the US government.
\\\"Considering what you have done, no one trusts you anymore; you have numerous prisons in which you torture detainees,\\\" the cleric charged.
Ayatollah Emami Kashani further downplayed Western sanctions against Iran, saying such measures could not shake the Iranian people and government and will yield no result other than the \\\"awakening of the Iranian nation and elites.\\\"
The prominent cleric attributed the recent announcement of Iran\\\'s self-sufficiency in gasoline production and the progress achieved in the field of nanotechnology to a scientific movement triggered by sanctions.
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Senior cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani welcomes the Iranian president\\\'s UN address in which he called for an independent probe into the 9/11 incident.
Tehran\\\'s interim Friday Prayers leader questioned the angry response of members of Washington\\\'s delegate, who left the UN General Assembly session, to a call that \\\"many in the world have welcomed.\\\"
\\\"Iran\\\'s argument means that your word should not be the only one dominating the world because the international community and even the American people no longer buy these words,\\\" he was quoted by IRNA as saying.
In his September 22 speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad raised doubts about the credibility of Washington\\\'s account of the source and nature of the attacks indicating that a \\\"very powerful and complex terrorist group, able to successfully cross all layers of the American intelligence and security, carried out the attack.\\\"
Ahmadinejad said despite the cited claim many throughout the world believe that \\\"some segments within the US government orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East in order also to save the Zionist regime [of Israel].\\\"
\\\"Nations welcome a probe into this incident, but you accused others with [your] incoherent talk and blamed them for the attacks and massacred and violated the innocent people of Afghanistan,\\\" Ayatollah Emami Kashani said, addressing the US government.
\\\"Considering what you have done, no one trusts you anymore; you have numerous prisons in which you torture detainees,\\\" the cleric charged.
Ayatollah Emami Kashani further downplayed Western sanctions against Iran, saying such measures could not shake the Iranian people and government and will yield no result other than the \\\"awakening of the Iranian nation and elites.\\\"
The prominent cleric attributed the recent announcement of Iran\\\'s self-sufficiency in gasoline production and the progress achieved in the field of nanotechnology to a scientific movement triggered by sanctions.
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President Ahmadinejad Recieves Massive Welcome In Beirut - 13oct2010 - English
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has just arrived in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for a two-day official visit.
The Iranian chief executive, who is in Lebanon at an official invitation by...
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has just arrived in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for a two-day official visit.
The Iranian chief executive, who is in Lebanon at an official invitation by his Lebanese counterpart Michel Sleiman, was warmly welcomed by a number of prominent Lebanese officials at Beirut International Airport on Wednesday morning.
A large crowd of Lebanese people were cheering President Ahmadinejad and waving Iran's flags on his route to the Lebanese Presidential palace.
He is scheduled to address international reporters in a press conference in the Lebanese capital.
The Iranian chief executive will then meet with Iranian and Lebanese businessmen.
Later the Iranian president will head to southern Beirut to visit the area where Israeli bombs destroyed the location during 2006 war against the state.
Many analysts believe that President Ahmadinejad's trip to Lebanon is aimed at consolidating resistance's position against Israel.
Earlier, President Sleiman had asked the Islamic Republic to equip the country's army and supply the state with defense industry.
The Iranian president is so popular among the Lebanese nation and is seen as the sympbol of resistance against Israel as he has been outspoken, criticizing Israel's atrocities against Lebanese and Palestinians.
Iran offered unconditional support to Lebanon after Israel's war on Lebanon in summer 2006, when Tel Aviv destroyed the country's main infrastructure, electricity and water systems.
Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah hailed Iran's big role in rebuilding Lebanon following the Israeli war.
Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/146471.html
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Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has just arrived in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for a two-day official visit.
The Iranian chief executive, who is in Lebanon at an official invitation by his Lebanese counterpart Michel Sleiman, was warmly welcomed by a number of prominent Lebanese officials at Beirut International Airport on Wednesday morning.
A large crowd of Lebanese people were cheering President Ahmadinejad and waving Iran's flags on his route to the Lebanese Presidential palace.
He is scheduled to address international reporters in a press conference in the Lebanese capital.
The Iranian chief executive will then meet with Iranian and Lebanese businessmen.
Later the Iranian president will head to southern Beirut to visit the area where Israeli bombs destroyed the location during 2006 war against the state.
Many analysts believe that President Ahmadinejad's trip to Lebanon is aimed at consolidating resistance's position against Israel.
Earlier, President Sleiman had asked the Islamic Republic to equip the country's army and supply the state with defense industry.
The Iranian president is so popular among the Lebanese nation and is seen as the sympbol of resistance against Israel as he has been outspoken, criticizing Israel's atrocities against Lebanese and Palestinians.
Iran offered unconditional support to Lebanon after Israel's war on Lebanon in summer 2006, when Tel Aviv destroyed the country's main infrastructure, electricity and water systems.
Hezbollah Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah hailed Iran's big role in rebuilding Lebanon following the Israeli war.
Article Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/146471.html
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Mavi Marmara returns to Istanbul - 26Dec2010 - English
She sailed through the very sea she was named after, before she finally reached home. It was here, at the very same dock, that the Mavi Marmara set off on a mission of mercy to gaza seven months...
She sailed through the very sea she was named after, before she finally reached home. It was here, at the very same dock, that the Mavi Marmara set off on a mission of mercy to gaza seven months ago.
That effort, dubbed the freedom flotilla, with seven ships in total, was attacked in international waters by the Israeli military. Nine aid workers were killed in the incident, including 8 Turks and one US citizen, with almost 60 more injured.
As she pulled into Sarayburnu port, the Mavi Marmara was welcomed by thousands of well-wishers. But the celebrations were tinged with sadness with the presence of the families of those killed. But they too stood by the effort to break the Israeli siege of Gaza.
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She sailed through the very sea she was named after, before she finally reached home. It was here, at the very same dock, that the Mavi Marmara set off on a mission of mercy to gaza seven months ago.
That effort, dubbed the freedom flotilla, with seven ships in total, was attacked in international waters by the Israeli military. Nine aid workers were killed in the incident, including 8 Turks and one US citizen, with almost 60 more injured.
As she pulled into Sarayburnu port, the Mavi Marmara was welcomed by thousands of well-wishers. But the celebrations were tinged with sadness with the presence of the families of those killed. But they too stood by the effort to break the Israeli siege of Gaza.
Candle Lightening Azadari and Speeches from Haram of Hazarate Masoomeh [as] Qom - Farsi
Candle Lightening Azadari and Speeches in Haram of Hazarate Masoomeh [as] Qom - Farsi
http://www.masoumeh.com/home.php
الإمام الصادق (عليه السلام) قال من زارها...
Candle Lightening Azadari and Speeches in Haram of Hazarate Masoomeh [as] Qom - Farsi
http://www.masoumeh.com/home.php
الإمام الصادق (عليه السلام) قال من زارها عارفاً بحقّها فله الجنة
امام صادق (ع) كسى كه آن حضرت را زيارت كند در حالى كه آگاه و متوجه شأن و منزلت او باشد به بهشت مى رود
Short Biography of Hadrat Fatima Masoumah (A.S.)
The name of this divine lady was Fatima and her nickname was Masoumah. Her father was Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), the seventh Imam of the Shi'ites and her mother was named Najma Khatun who was also the mother of Imam Reza (A.S.), the eighth Shi'ite Imam.
She was born on first day of the month of Zee al-Qa'adah in the year 173 A.H./789 A.D., in the holy city of Madinah Munawwarah. Her holy father was martyred in the Baghdad prison at the hands of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid after undergoing long term of imprisonment and tortures. After the martyrdom of her holy father she came under the care of Imam Reza (A.S.), her elder brother.
In the year 200 A.H./815 A.D, Imam Reza (A.S.) was forced to leave Madinah Munawwarah by the orders of Mamun,the Abbasid caliph. Imam Reza (A.S.) came alone to Marv (Khurasan) and did not accompany any of his family members.
In the year 201 A.H./816 A.D., Hadrat Fatimah Masoumah (A.S.) accompanied by her brothers and other elders from the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) left Madinah Munawwarah for Marv (Khurasan) to meet Imam Reza (A.S.). On their way they were welcomed and greeted by the people of the different cities and villages.
Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) like her noble aunt Hadrat Zainab (A.S.) delivered the message of innocence of her brother Imam Reza (A.S) and revealed the evil intentions of the Abbasid caliph to the public. When the caravan reached Saveh a group of armed men who were deputed by Mamun, the Abbasid caliph, savagely attacked them and all the brothers of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) were martyred and according to some historical reports she was poisoned and became severely ill.
Due to her ill health she was unable to continue her journey towards Khurasan and decided to go towards Qum which is near Saveh. Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) narrated while going towards Qum that her father, Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.) has said that city of Qum is the centre of the Shi'ites.
The inhabitants of Qum who were Shi'ites became very happy that Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) is visiting their city and they gave warm welcome to her. Musa bin Khajraj, the doyen of Ashari family in Qum took the rein of the she-camel litter in his hand in which Hadrat Masoumah (A.S) was travelling and large number of people gathered around the she-camel litter. Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) entered the city of Qum on 23rd Rabi al-Awwal, in the year 201 A.H./816 A.D.
She then resided in the house of Musa bin Khajraj in the locality which is now called as "Maidan Mir".
She remained alive only for 17 days because she was poisoned in Saveh.But even in this condition she spent most of her time in praying and supplicating to Allah (SWT).
The place of her stay and worship in Qum is now situated in the Madrasa Sittiyah and is known as "Bait al-Nur" and is a place of ziyarah for the Shi'ites.
She passed away on 10th Rabi al-Thani, in the year 201 A.H./816 A.D., and she could not meet her elder brother before death. The Shi'ites in Qum greatly mourned her death and she was buried in a place called Bagh-i Babelan, which at that time was located outside the city. When the grave was ready there arose a difference that who should keep the body of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) in the grave. It is reported that suddenly two men whose face were covered and riding the horses came to that place and performed the Salaat-e Mayyit ( the prayers for the dead person) and then one of them went in the grave and the other person gave the body of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) to that standing person in the grave who laid her to rest in the grave.
After the burial ceremony was over both those persons without talking to anybody sat on their horse and went away.
It is said that those two holy personalities who performed the burial ceremony for Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) were Imam Reza (A.S.) and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.). According to sacred rules the burial ceremony of an infallible has to be performed by another infallible person for example the burial ceremony of Hadrat Fatima Zahra (A.S.) was performed by Amir al-Muminin Imam Ali (A.S.).
After the burial of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.), Musa bin Khajraj built a shed over the grave made out of mat. In the year 256 A.H./869 A.D., Hadrat Zainab (A.S.), the daughter of Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.) constructed a dome over the grave of her aunt Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.).
Since the burial of that divine lady of Islam in Qum, the holy grave of her have become a centre of ziyarah for the lovers of the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.)
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Candle Lightening Azadari and Speeches in Haram of Hazarate Masoomeh [as] Qom - Farsi
http://www.masoumeh.com/home.php
الإمام الصادق (عليه السلام) قال من زارها عارفاً بحقّها فله الجنة
امام صادق (ع) كسى كه آن حضرت را زيارت كند در حالى كه آگاه و متوجه شأن و منزلت او باشد به بهشت مى رود
Short Biography of Hadrat Fatima Masoumah (A.S.)
The name of this divine lady was Fatima and her nickname was Masoumah. Her father was Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.), the seventh Imam of the Shi'ites and her mother was named Najma Khatun who was also the mother of Imam Reza (A.S.), the eighth Shi'ite Imam.
She was born on first day of the month of Zee al-Qa'adah in the year 173 A.H./789 A.D., in the holy city of Madinah Munawwarah. Her holy father was martyred in the Baghdad prison at the hands of the Abbasid caliph Harun al-Rashid after undergoing long term of imprisonment and tortures. After the martyrdom of her holy father she came under the care of Imam Reza (A.S.), her elder brother.
In the year 200 A.H./815 A.D, Imam Reza (A.S.) was forced to leave Madinah Munawwarah by the orders of Mamun,the Abbasid caliph. Imam Reza (A.S.) came alone to Marv (Khurasan) and did not accompany any of his family members.
In the year 201 A.H./816 A.D., Hadrat Fatimah Masoumah (A.S.) accompanied by her brothers and other elders from the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) left Madinah Munawwarah for Marv (Khurasan) to meet Imam Reza (A.S.). On their way they were welcomed and greeted by the people of the different cities and villages.
Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) like her noble aunt Hadrat Zainab (A.S.) delivered the message of innocence of her brother Imam Reza (A.S) and revealed the evil intentions of the Abbasid caliph to the public. When the caravan reached Saveh a group of armed men who were deputed by Mamun, the Abbasid caliph, savagely attacked them and all the brothers of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) were martyred and according to some historical reports she was poisoned and became severely ill.
Due to her ill health she was unable to continue her journey towards Khurasan and decided to go towards Qum which is near Saveh. Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) narrated while going towards Qum that her father, Imam Musa al-Kazim (A.S.) has said that city of Qum is the centre of the Shi'ites.
The inhabitants of Qum who were Shi'ites became very happy that Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) is visiting their city and they gave warm welcome to her. Musa bin Khajraj, the doyen of Ashari family in Qum took the rein of the she-camel litter in his hand in which Hadrat Masoumah (A.S) was travelling and large number of people gathered around the she-camel litter. Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) entered the city of Qum on 23rd Rabi al-Awwal, in the year 201 A.H./816 A.D.
She then resided in the house of Musa bin Khajraj in the locality which is now called as "Maidan Mir".
She remained alive only for 17 days because she was poisoned in Saveh.But even in this condition she spent most of her time in praying and supplicating to Allah (SWT).
The place of her stay and worship in Qum is now situated in the Madrasa Sittiyah and is known as "Bait al-Nur" and is a place of ziyarah for the Shi'ites.
She passed away on 10th Rabi al-Thani, in the year 201 A.H./816 A.D., and she could not meet her elder brother before death. The Shi'ites in Qum greatly mourned her death and she was buried in a place called Bagh-i Babelan, which at that time was located outside the city. When the grave was ready there arose a difference that who should keep the body of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) in the grave. It is reported that suddenly two men whose face were covered and riding the horses came to that place and performed the Salaat-e Mayyit ( the prayers for the dead person) and then one of them went in the grave and the other person gave the body of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) to that standing person in the grave who laid her to rest in the grave.
After the burial ceremony was over both those persons without talking to anybody sat on their horse and went away.
It is said that those two holy personalities who performed the burial ceremony for Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.) were Imam Reza (A.S.) and Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.). According to sacred rules the burial ceremony of an infallible has to be performed by another infallible person for example the burial ceremony of Hadrat Fatima Zahra (A.S.) was performed by Amir al-Muminin Imam Ali (A.S.).
After the burial of Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.), Musa bin Khajraj built a shed over the grave made out of mat. In the year 256 A.H./869 A.D., Hadrat Zainab (A.S.), the daughter of Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Jawad (A.S.) constructed a dome over the grave of her aunt Hadrat Masoumah (A.S.).
Since the burial of that divine lady of Islam in Qum, the holy grave of her have become a centre of ziyarah for the lovers of the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.)
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Leader Orders Tough Punishment of Bank Embezzlers - Oct 3-2011 Farsi
TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei stressed the necessity for a serious punishment of those guilty in the recent bank scam, and blamed the...
TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei stressed the necessity for a serious punishment of those guilty in the recent bank scam, and blamed the country\'s officials for their lack of diligence in preventing the case.
\"Although authorities welcomed confrontation against economic corruption, but if action had been taken on my advice, we would have never been afflicted with such incidents as the recent corruption in the banking system,\" the Leader said, addressing a meeting with cultural and executive staff and personnel of Hajj in Tehran on Monday.
Ten years ago, the Leader had made a series of recommendations for the country\'s officials requiring them to launch a tough combat on economic corruption.
The Leader further underlined the necessity of stopping all covert and overt economic activities of such corrupt individuals as the ones involved in the recent bank scam.
Ayatollah Khamenei further assured the Iranian people of the ruling system\'s resolve to confront and prevent similar economic corruption.
The $2.8 billion embezzlement scandal involving seven government-owned and private banks, which had used fraudulent Saderat Bank documents to secure multi-billion dollar credit and purchase state-owned companies, was recently uncovered.
Iran\'s Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani has appointed Prosecutor General Hojjatoleslam Gholam- Hossein Mohseni-Ejeii to investigate the case.
On September 27, Mohseni Ejeii announced that 22 people had been arrested in connection with the case and that the exact nature of the fraud is still under investigation.
According to the Prosecutor General, necessary measures have been taken to prevent the criminals from leaving the country or transferring money to offshore accounts.
مسوولان، در ماجرای سوء استفاده بانکی دستهای خائن و مفسد را بدون ترحم قطع کنند
ساعت خبر: 11:37 - تاريخ خبر: 11/07/1390
•تلاش دشمنان برای اختلاف افکنی و مقابله با بیداری اسلامی در مراسم حج
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای رهبر انقلاب اسلامی صبح امروز (دوشنبه) در دیدار دست اندرکاران حج امسال، حج را فرصتی بسیار گرانبها و ارزشمند برای ارتباط با امت اسلامی و بهره مندی معنوی خواندند و با اشاره به تلاش دشمنان برای اختلاف افکنی و مقابله با موج بیداری اسلامی در مراسم حج ، تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه را نزدیکتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی دانستند.
به گزارش واحد مرکزی خبر، ایشان همچنین در ادامه با اشاره به فساد بانکی اخیر در کشور، علت وقوع این سوء استفاده را عمل نکردن مسوولان به توصیه های مؤکد چند سال پیش رهبری در خصوص مقابله با فساد اقتصادی توصیف و تأکید کردند: مسوولان قضایی ضمن پیگیری قوی، دقیق و عاقلانه قضیه و اطلاع رسانی مناسب به مردم، باید دستهای خائن را قطع کنند.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای حج را یکی از رموز اساسی اسلام و میهمانی بزرگ الهی در مرکز عظمت و قدرت و جمال و کرَم توصیف کردند و افزودند: باید در بُعد عمومی و بین المللی حج، همدلی و تقویت پیوندهای اسلامی بدون در نظر گرفتن ملیت ها، قومیت ها و مذهب ها مورد توجه جدی قرار گیرد و از این فرصت برای نزدیک تر شدن دلها استفاده شود.
ایشان یکی از ویژگیهای بارز حج امسال را، بیداری اسلامی در منطقه بویژه مصر، تونس، یمن و بحرین دانستند و تأکید کردند: با توجه به این رویداد مهم، امسال توطئه ایجاد اختلاف و بدبینی و تحریک احساسات میان امت اسلامی، برجسته تر خواهد بود و تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه نزدیکتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی است.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی با تأکید بر اینکه مسلمانان یک تن واحد هستند، افزودند: حجاج ایرانی باید با چنین نگاه عمومی و جهانی در حج حضور یابند و تجربیات سی ساله خود در مبارزه با استکبار و معاندین را در اختیار ملتهای تازه انقلاب کرده، قرار دهند.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای، رفتار خوب و همراه با ادب و احترام را از دیگر نکات ضروری برای حجاج ایرانی برشمردند و خاطر نشان کردند: حج فرصتی گرانبها برای پاکیزه شدن از آلودگی های دنیا و مجموعه ای از فرائض است که باید ضمن قدر دانستن این مراسم عظیم و کم نظیر، در حفظ ذخایر معنوی بدست آمده آن هم همت کرد.
ایشان زائران بیت الله الحرام را به آماده سازی درونی خود، قبل از سفر حج و آماده شدن برای این میهمانی الهی توصیه کردند و افزودند: حاجی ایرانی باید با رفتار خود در حج، ملت، کشور و نظام جمهوری اسلامی ایران را در چشم دنیا سربلند کند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی حجاج را به پرهیز از رفتارهای سبک توصیه و خاطر نشان کردند: یکی از این رفتارهای سبک، عطش بازارگردی است که علاوه بر اینکه ارز کشور را برای خرید کالاهای بی کیفیت به هدر می دهد، فرصت ارزشمند عبادت و بهره مندی معنوی را نیز از بین می برد.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای با تأکید بر این که خرید سوغات باید در حد ضرورت باشد، خاطر نشان کردند: برخی افراد در اقدامی پسندیده سوغات خود را قبل از سفر حج، از بازار داخل و کالاهای خوب و با کیفیت ایرانی تهیه می کنند تا بتوانند در ایام حج بیشترین بهره مندی معنوی را از این فرصت کم نظیر داشته باشند.
ایشان در پایان این بحث افزودند: معارف دینی، قرآن، سنت و اهل بیت، سرمایه های معنوی ما هستند که اگر از آنها استفاده شود، زمینه پیشرفت و سعادت بوجود می آید و اگر انسان خود را از این سرمایه ها محروم کند، قطعاً ضرر خواهد کرد.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای در ادامه با اشاره به توصیه های مؤکد خود به مسوولان، در سالهای گذشته بویژه در فرمان ده سال قبل برای مبارزه با فساد اقتصادی خاطر نشان کردند: اگر چه مسوولان از مقابله با فساد اقتصادی استقبال کردند اما اگر به این توصیه ها عمل می شد، هیچگاه دچار چنین حوادثی همچون فساد بانکی اخیر نمی شدیم.
ایشان افزودند: وقوع چنین مسائلی، ذهن و دل مردم را مشغول، و دل بسیاری را نیز می شکند و آیا این سزاوار است که بخاطر عمل نکردن مسوولان، مردم به سبب این حوادث ناراحت شوند و حتی برخی امید خود را از دست بدهند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی خاطر نشان کردند: از همان سالهای قبل بارها گفته شد که نباید بگذاریم فساد ریشه دار شود زیرا با گذشت زمان، ریشه کنی ان بسیار مشکل می شود و سرمایه گذار پاکدامن و صادق را نیز مأیوس می کند، اما متأسفانه عمل نشد.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای با اطمینان بخشی به مردم در خصوص عزم سه قوه برای مقابله با این حادثه و پیشگیری از حوادث مشابه، افزودند: البته عده ای می خواهند از این ماجرا برای زیر سؤال بردن مسوولان استفاده کنند، در حالیکه مسوولان در دولت، مجلس و قوه قضائیه مشغول انجام وظیفه خود هستند.
ایشان با اشاره به اطلاع رسانی که در روز های گذشته در خصوص این حادثه انجام گرفته است، خاطر نشان کردند: رسانه ها بیش از این نباید به جنجال و هیاهو درباره این ماجرا ادامه دهند، بلکه باید به مسئولان اجازه دهند تا عاقلانه، مدبرانه، قوی و با دقت قضایا را پیگیری و بررسی کنند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی تأکید کردند: ادامه هیاهو و جنجال، بخصوص اگر عده ای بدنبال استفاده های دیگر از این مسائل باشند، به صلاح نیست و همه باید مراقب باشند.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای افزودند: مردم بدانند که مسوولان، این ماجرا را تا آخر پیگیری خواهند کرد و دستهای خائن قطع خواهد شد.
ایشان با توصیه مؤکد به قوه قضائیه برای اطلاع رسانی مناسب به مردم در خصوص پیگیری این پرونده تأکید کردند: دستگاه قضایی نباید به افراد بدکاره، خرابکار و مفسد ترحم کند.
در ابتدای این دیدار، حجت الاسلام و المسلمین قاضی عسگر نماینده ولی فقیه و سرپرست زائران ایرانی در گزارشی از فعالیتهای بعثه مقام معظّم رهبری برای برگزاری هر چه با شکوهتر حج، ارتقاء و تنوع بخشی برنامه های آموزشی حجاج، راه اندازی آموزش مجازی، انتشار فصل نامه های تخصصی حج، چاپ قرآن های نفیس همراه با ترجمه برای حجاج، استفاده از ظرفیت های صدا و سیما، برگزاری آزمون برای انتخاب روحانیون و معین های جدید کاروانها، تشکیل اتاق فکر، و استفاده بیش از پیش از دیپلماسی حج، از جمله اقدامات انجام گرفته است.
آقای لیالی رئیس سازمان حج و زیارت نیز در گزارشی از قدامات اجرایی حج گفت: امسال 97 هزار زائر در قالب 588 کاروان و با استفاده از دو شرکت هواپیمایی ایرانی، به مکه و مدینه انتقال خواهند یافت و محل اسکان زائران ایرانی در مکه نسبت به سالهای قبل، به مسجد الحرام نزدیک تر شده است.
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TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei stressed the necessity for a serious punishment of those guilty in the recent bank scam, and blamed the country\'s officials for their lack of diligence in preventing the case.
\"Although authorities welcomed confrontation against economic corruption, but if action had been taken on my advice, we would have never been afflicted with such incidents as the recent corruption in the banking system,\" the Leader said, addressing a meeting with cultural and executive staff and personnel of Hajj in Tehran on Monday.
Ten years ago, the Leader had made a series of recommendations for the country\'s officials requiring them to launch a tough combat on economic corruption.
The Leader further underlined the necessity of stopping all covert and overt economic activities of such corrupt individuals as the ones involved in the recent bank scam.
Ayatollah Khamenei further assured the Iranian people of the ruling system\'s resolve to confront and prevent similar economic corruption.
The $2.8 billion embezzlement scandal involving seven government-owned and private banks, which had used fraudulent Saderat Bank documents to secure multi-billion dollar credit and purchase state-owned companies, was recently uncovered.
Iran\'s Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani has appointed Prosecutor General Hojjatoleslam Gholam- Hossein Mohseni-Ejeii to investigate the case.
On September 27, Mohseni Ejeii announced that 22 people had been arrested in connection with the case and that the exact nature of the fraud is still under investigation.
According to the Prosecutor General, necessary measures have been taken to prevent the criminals from leaving the country or transferring money to offshore accounts.
مسوولان، در ماجرای سوء استفاده بانکی دستهای خائن و مفسد را بدون ترحم قطع کنند
ساعت خبر: 11:37 - تاريخ خبر: 11/07/1390
•تلاش دشمنان برای اختلاف افکنی و مقابله با بیداری اسلامی در مراسم حج
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای رهبر انقلاب اسلامی صبح امروز (دوشنبه) در دیدار دست اندرکاران حج امسال، حج را فرصتی بسیار گرانبها و ارزشمند برای ارتباط با امت اسلامی و بهره مندی معنوی خواندند و با اشاره به تلاش دشمنان برای اختلاف افکنی و مقابله با موج بیداری اسلامی در مراسم حج ، تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه را نزدیکتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی دانستند.
به گزارش واحد مرکزی خبر، ایشان همچنین در ادامه با اشاره به فساد بانکی اخیر در کشور، علت وقوع این سوء استفاده را عمل نکردن مسوولان به توصیه های مؤکد چند سال پیش رهبری در خصوص مقابله با فساد اقتصادی توصیف و تأکید کردند: مسوولان قضایی ضمن پیگیری قوی، دقیق و عاقلانه قضیه و اطلاع رسانی مناسب به مردم، باید دستهای خائن را قطع کنند.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای حج را یکی از رموز اساسی اسلام و میهمانی بزرگ الهی در مرکز عظمت و قدرت و جمال و کرَم توصیف کردند و افزودند: باید در بُعد عمومی و بین المللی حج، همدلی و تقویت پیوندهای اسلامی بدون در نظر گرفتن ملیت ها، قومیت ها و مذهب ها مورد توجه جدی قرار گیرد و از این فرصت برای نزدیک تر شدن دلها استفاده شود.
ایشان یکی از ویژگیهای بارز حج امسال را، بیداری اسلامی در منطقه بویژه مصر، تونس، یمن و بحرین دانستند و تأکید کردند: با توجه به این رویداد مهم، امسال توطئه ایجاد اختلاف و بدبینی و تحریک احساسات میان امت اسلامی، برجسته تر خواهد بود و تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه نزدیکتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی است.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی با تأکید بر اینکه مسلمانان یک تن واحد هستند، افزودند: حجاج ایرانی باید با چنین نگاه عمومی و جهانی در حج حضور یابند و تجربیات سی ساله خود در مبارزه با استکبار و معاندین را در اختیار ملتهای تازه انقلاب کرده، قرار دهند.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای، رفتار خوب و همراه با ادب و احترام را از دیگر نکات ضروری برای حجاج ایرانی برشمردند و خاطر نشان کردند: حج فرصتی گرانبها برای پاکیزه شدن از آلودگی های دنیا و مجموعه ای از فرائض است که باید ضمن قدر دانستن این مراسم عظیم و کم نظیر، در حفظ ذخایر معنوی بدست آمده آن هم همت کرد.
ایشان زائران بیت الله الحرام را به آماده سازی درونی خود، قبل از سفر حج و آماده شدن برای این میهمانی الهی توصیه کردند و افزودند: حاجی ایرانی باید با رفتار خود در حج، ملت، کشور و نظام جمهوری اسلامی ایران را در چشم دنیا سربلند کند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی حجاج را به پرهیز از رفتارهای سبک توصیه و خاطر نشان کردند: یکی از این رفتارهای سبک، عطش بازارگردی است که علاوه بر اینکه ارز کشور را برای خرید کالاهای بی کیفیت به هدر می دهد، فرصت ارزشمند عبادت و بهره مندی معنوی را نیز از بین می برد.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای با تأکید بر این که خرید سوغات باید در حد ضرورت باشد، خاطر نشان کردند: برخی افراد در اقدامی پسندیده سوغات خود را قبل از سفر حج، از بازار داخل و کالاهای خوب و با کیفیت ایرانی تهیه می کنند تا بتوانند در ایام حج بیشترین بهره مندی معنوی را از این فرصت کم نظیر داشته باشند.
ایشان در پایان این بحث افزودند: معارف دینی، قرآن، سنت و اهل بیت، سرمایه های معنوی ما هستند که اگر از آنها استفاده شود، زمینه پیشرفت و سعادت بوجود می آید و اگر انسان خود را از این سرمایه ها محروم کند، قطعاً ضرر خواهد کرد.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای در ادامه با اشاره به توصیه های مؤکد خود به مسوولان، در سالهای گذشته بویژه در فرمان ده سال قبل برای مبارزه با فساد اقتصادی خاطر نشان کردند: اگر چه مسوولان از مقابله با فساد اقتصادی استقبال کردند اما اگر به این توصیه ها عمل می شد، هیچگاه دچار چنین حوادثی همچون فساد بانکی اخیر نمی شدیم.
ایشان افزودند: وقوع چنین مسائلی، ذهن و دل مردم را مشغول، و دل بسیاری را نیز می شکند و آیا این سزاوار است که بخاطر عمل نکردن مسوولان، مردم به سبب این حوادث ناراحت شوند و حتی برخی امید خود را از دست بدهند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی خاطر نشان کردند: از همان سالهای قبل بارها گفته شد که نباید بگذاریم فساد ریشه دار شود زیرا با گذشت زمان، ریشه کنی ان بسیار مشکل می شود و سرمایه گذار پاکدامن و صادق را نیز مأیوس می کند، اما متأسفانه عمل نشد.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای با اطمینان بخشی به مردم در خصوص عزم سه قوه برای مقابله با این حادثه و پیشگیری از حوادث مشابه، افزودند: البته عده ای می خواهند از این ماجرا برای زیر سؤال بردن مسوولان استفاده کنند، در حالیکه مسوولان در دولت، مجلس و قوه قضائیه مشغول انجام وظیفه خود هستند.
ایشان با اشاره به اطلاع رسانی که در روز های گذشته در خصوص این حادثه انجام گرفته است، خاطر نشان کردند: رسانه ها بیش از این نباید به جنجال و هیاهو درباره این ماجرا ادامه دهند، بلکه باید به مسئولان اجازه دهند تا عاقلانه، مدبرانه، قوی و با دقت قضایا را پیگیری و بررسی کنند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی تأکید کردند: ادامه هیاهو و جنجال، بخصوص اگر عده ای بدنبال استفاده های دیگر از این مسائل باشند، به صلاح نیست و همه باید مراقب باشند.
حضرت آیت الله خامنه ای افزودند: مردم بدانند که مسوولان، این ماجرا را تا آخر پیگیری خواهند کرد و دستهای خائن قطع خواهد شد.
ایشان با توصیه مؤکد به قوه قضائیه برای اطلاع رسانی مناسب به مردم در خصوص پیگیری این پرونده تأکید کردند: دستگاه قضایی نباید به افراد بدکاره، خرابکار و مفسد ترحم کند.
در ابتدای این دیدار، حجت الاسلام و المسلمین قاضی عسگر نماینده ولی فقیه و سرپرست زائران ایرانی در گزارشی از فعالیتهای بعثه مقام معظّم رهبری برای برگزاری هر چه با شکوهتر حج، ارتقاء و تنوع بخشی برنامه های آموزشی حجاج، راه اندازی آموزش مجازی، انتشار فصل نامه های تخصصی حج، چاپ قرآن های نفیس همراه با ترجمه برای حجاج، استفاده از ظرفیت های صدا و سیما، برگزاری آزمون برای انتخاب روحانیون و معین های جدید کاروانها، تشکیل اتاق فکر، و استفاده بیش از پیش از دیپلماسی حج، از جمله اقدامات انجام گرفته است.
آقای لیالی رئیس سازمان حج و زیارت نیز در گزارشی از قدامات اجرایی حج گفت: امسال 97 هزار زائر در قالب 588 کاروان و با استفاده از دو شرکت هواپیمایی ایرانی، به مکه و مدینه انتقال خواهند یافت و محل اسکان زائران ایرانی در مکه نسبت به سالهای قبل، به مسجد الحرام نزدیک تر شده است.
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[Iran Today] Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei visit to Kermanshah - 25Oct2011 -English
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran\'s Islamic Republic, has paid a visit to the Province of Kermanshah.
The province of Kermanshah, with an estimated population of 2 million,...
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran\'s Islamic Republic, has paid a visit to the Province of Kermanshah.
The province of Kermanshah, with an estimated population of 2 million, has various religious, ethnic and cultural groups.
Iran\'s dominant faith is Shia Islam, but despite this the Shia leader is warmly welcomed in Kermanshah, a province with a large Sunni and Jewish population among others.
This is a province that has had its own fare share of challenges since the revolution and the 8 year Iran-Iraq war that followed.
He made speeches in different cities of the province, visited the families of the martyrs, and talked of change and renewal in Iran\'s governmental system. His visit to Kermanshah is the subject of this week\'s program.
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Description:
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the leader of Iran\'s Islamic Republic, has paid a visit to the Province of Kermanshah.
The province of Kermanshah, with an estimated population of 2 million, has various religious, ethnic and cultural groups.
Iran\'s dominant faith is Shia Islam, but despite this the Shia leader is warmly welcomed in Kermanshah, a province with a large Sunni and Jewish population among others.
This is a province that has had its own fare share of challenges since the revolution and the 8 year Iran-Iraq war that followed.
He made speeches in different cities of the province, visited the families of the martyrs, and talked of change and renewal in Iran\'s governmental system. His visit to Kermanshah is the subject of this week\'s program.
38:40
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Vali Amr Muslimeen speech to Hajj Officials - 3 OCT 2011 - Farsi
دیدار كارگزاران حج با رهبر انقلاب
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17451
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای رهبر انقلاب اسلامی...
دیدار كارگزاران حج با رهبر انقلاب
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17451
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای رهبر انقلاب اسلامی صبح روز 11 مهر 1390، در دیدار دستاندركاران حج امسال، حج را فرصتی بسیار گرانبها و ارزشمند برای ارتباط با امت اسلامی و بهرهمندی معنوی خواندند و با اشاره به تلاش دشمنان برای اختلافافكنی و مقابله با موج بیداری اسلامی در مراسم حج ، تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه را نزدیكتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی دانستند، ایشان همچنین در ادامه با اشاره به فساد بانكی اخیر در كشور، علت وقوع این سوء استفاده را عمل نكردن مسئولان به توصیههای مؤكد چند سال پیش رهبری در خصوص مقابله با فساد اقتصادی توصیف و تأكید كردند: مسئولان قضایی ضمن پیگیری قوی، دقیق و عاقلانه قضیه و اطلاعرسانی مناسب به مردم، باید دستهای خائن را قطع كنند.
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای حج را یكی از رموز اساسی اسلام و میهمانی بزرگ الهی در مركز عظمت و قدرت و جمال و كرَم توصیف كردند و افزودند: باید در بُعد عمومی و بینالمللی حج، همدلی و تقویت پیوندهای اسلامی بدون در نظر گرفتن ملیتها، قومیتها و مذهبها مورد توجه جدی قرار گیرد و از این فرصت برای نزدیكتر شدن دلها استفاده شود.
ایشان یكی از ویژگیهای بارز حج امسال را، بیداری اسلامی در منطقه بویژه مصر، تونس، یمن و بحرین دانستند و تأكید كردند: با توجه به این رویداد مهم، امسال توطئه ایجاد اختلاف و بدبینی و تحریك احساسات میان امت اسلامی، برجستهتر خواهد بود و تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه نزدیكتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی است.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی با تأكید بر اینكه مسلمانان یك تن واحد هستند، افزودند: حجاج ایرانی باید با چنین نگاه عمومی و جهانی در حج حضور یابند و تجربیات سی ساله خود در مبارزه با استكبار و معاندین را در اختیار ملتهای تازه انقلاب كرده، قرار دهند.
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای، رفتار خوب و همراه با ادب و احترام را از دیگر نكات ضروری برای حجاج ایرانی برشمردند و خاطرنشان كردند: حج فرصتی گرانبها برای پاكیزه شدن از آلودگیهای دنیا و مجموعهای از فرائض است كه باید ضمن قدر دانستن این مراسم عظیم و كمنظیر، در حفظ ذخایر معنوی بدست آمده آن هم همت كرد.
ایشان زائران بیتاللهالحرام را به آمادهسازی درونی خود، قبل از سفر حج و آماده شدن برای این میهمانی الهی توصیه كردند و افزودند: حاجی ایرانی باید با رفتار خود در حج، ملت، كشور و نظام جمهوری اسلامی ایران را در چشم دنیا سربلند كند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی حجاج را به پرهیز از رفتارهای سبك توصیه و خاطرنشان كردند: یكی از این رفتارهای سبك، عطش بازارگردی است كه علاوه بر اینكه ارز كشور را برای خرید كالاهای بیكیفیت به هدر میدهد، فرصت ارزشمند عبادت و بهرهمندی معنوی را نیز از بین میبرد.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1533&Itemid=2
Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Monday morning with the officials in charge of hajj affairs. At the meeting, His Eminence said that the enemy is making efforts to foment discord and to confront the wave of Islamic Awakening. He added that hajj is a very valuable opportunity to establish a relationship with the Islamic Ummah and to reap the spiritual benefits.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that hajj is one of the most important elements behind the success of Islam. He further described hajj as a great divine celebration which takes place at the center of glory, power and magnificence. \"Regarding the general and international dimension of hajj, it is necessary to pay serious attention to solidarity and strengthening Islamic bonds without taking nationalities, ethnicities and denominations into consideration. This opportunity should be used to make hearts get closer to one another.\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that Muslims are a unified entity and added: \"Iranian pilgrims should take part in hajj ceremonies with this general and global outlook and they should let the nations that have recently carried out a revolution benefit from their thirty years of experience in fighting the arrogant powers and the enemies.\"
His Eminence called on hajj pilgrims to prepare themselves spiritually before taking part in hajj ceremonies and added: \"With their behavior during hajj, Iranian pilgrims should make the world hold the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic of Iran in high regard.\"
Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the recent economic corruption and reminded government officials to combat economic corruption in a decisive way. \"Government officials welcomed confronting economic corruption, but if they had acted on my recommendations, we would never have had events like the recent banking embezzlement.\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that it is necessary to prevent corruption from becoming deep-rooted and added that it becomes very difficult to uproot corruption once it becomes deep-rooted. He assured the people that the three branches of government are determined to confront the recent event and to prevent similar events and said that government officials in the executive, legislative and judiciary branches are doing their duty.\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it inadvisable to create uproar which may prompt others to take advantage of this issue. However, he assured the people that government officials will follow up the issue until the end and that they will cut off the treacherous hands.
His Eminence emphatically urged the judiciary to keep the people updated about the case and stressed: \"The judiciary system must not have mercy on wrong-doers, vandals and corrupt individuals.\"
Iran\'s judiciary is investigating the recent large embezzlement case and has issued arrest warrants for a number of suspects. Also a number of bank managers have been fired.
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei Iran\'s Prosecutor General, who has been put in charge of the embezzlement case by the Judiciary Chief, has announced that the case is being investigated swiftly and decisively. He has also said that the culprits will be severely punished.
Iran\'s Judiciary Chief Sadeq Larijani has stressed that the judiciary system will follow up the issue decisively. He has also said that the judiciary has been investigating the embezzlement case for almost two months.
More...
Description:
دیدار كارگزاران حج با رهبر انقلاب
http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=17451
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای رهبر انقلاب اسلامی صبح روز 11 مهر 1390، در دیدار دستاندركاران حج امسال، حج را فرصتی بسیار گرانبها و ارزشمند برای ارتباط با امت اسلامی و بهرهمندی معنوی خواندند و با اشاره به تلاش دشمنان برای اختلافافكنی و مقابله با موج بیداری اسلامی در مراسم حج ، تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه را نزدیكتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی دانستند، ایشان همچنین در ادامه با اشاره به فساد بانكی اخیر در كشور، علت وقوع این سوء استفاده را عمل نكردن مسئولان به توصیههای مؤكد چند سال پیش رهبری در خصوص مقابله با فساد اقتصادی توصیف و تأكید كردند: مسئولان قضایی ضمن پیگیری قوی، دقیق و عاقلانه قضیه و اطلاعرسانی مناسب به مردم، باید دستهای خائن را قطع كنند.
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای حج را یكی از رموز اساسی اسلام و میهمانی بزرگ الهی در مركز عظمت و قدرت و جمال و كرَم توصیف كردند و افزودند: باید در بُعد عمومی و بینالمللی حج، همدلی و تقویت پیوندهای اسلامی بدون در نظر گرفتن ملیتها، قومیتها و مذهبها مورد توجه جدی قرار گیرد و از این فرصت برای نزدیكتر شدن دلها استفاده شود.
ایشان یكی از ویژگیهای بارز حج امسال را، بیداری اسلامی در منطقه بویژه مصر، تونس، یمن و بحرین دانستند و تأكید كردند: با توجه به این رویداد مهم، امسال توطئه ایجاد اختلاف و بدبینی و تحریك احساسات میان امت اسلامی، برجستهتر خواهد بود و تنها راه غلبه بر این توطئه نزدیكتر شدن دلها و تقویت همدلی است.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی با تأكید بر اینكه مسلمانان یك تن واحد هستند، افزودند: حجاج ایرانی باید با چنین نگاه عمومی و جهانی در حج حضور یابند و تجربیات سی ساله خود در مبارزه با استكبار و معاندین را در اختیار ملتهای تازه انقلاب كرده، قرار دهند.
حضرت آیتالله خامنهای، رفتار خوب و همراه با ادب و احترام را از دیگر نكات ضروری برای حجاج ایرانی برشمردند و خاطرنشان كردند: حج فرصتی گرانبها برای پاكیزه شدن از آلودگیهای دنیا و مجموعهای از فرائض است كه باید ضمن قدر دانستن این مراسم عظیم و كمنظیر، در حفظ ذخایر معنوی بدست آمده آن هم همت كرد.
ایشان زائران بیتاللهالحرام را به آمادهسازی درونی خود، قبل از سفر حج و آماده شدن برای این میهمانی الهی توصیه كردند و افزودند: حاجی ایرانی باید با رفتار خود در حج، ملت، كشور و نظام جمهوری اسلامی ایران را در چشم دنیا سربلند كند.
رهبر انقلاب اسلامی حجاج را به پرهیز از رفتارهای سبك توصیه و خاطرنشان كردند: یكی از این رفتارهای سبك، عطش بازارگردی است كه علاوه بر اینكه ارز كشور را برای خرید كالاهای بیكیفیت به هدر میدهد، فرصت ارزشمند عبادت و بهرهمندی معنوی را نیز از بین میبرد.
http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1533&Itemid=2
Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Monday morning with the officials in charge of hajj affairs. At the meeting, His Eminence said that the enemy is making efforts to foment discord and to confront the wave of Islamic Awakening. He added that hajj is a very valuable opportunity to establish a relationship with the Islamic Ummah and to reap the spiritual benefits.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that hajj is one of the most important elements behind the success of Islam. He further described hajj as a great divine celebration which takes place at the center of glory, power and magnificence. \"Regarding the general and international dimension of hajj, it is necessary to pay serious attention to solidarity and strengthening Islamic bonds without taking nationalities, ethnicities and denominations into consideration. This opportunity should be used to make hearts get closer to one another.\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that Muslims are a unified entity and added: \"Iranian pilgrims should take part in hajj ceremonies with this general and global outlook and they should let the nations that have recently carried out a revolution benefit from their thirty years of experience in fighting the arrogant powers and the enemies.\"
His Eminence called on hajj pilgrims to prepare themselves spiritually before taking part in hajj ceremonies and added: \"With their behavior during hajj, Iranian pilgrims should make the world hold the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic of Iran in high regard.\"
Elsewhere in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the recent economic corruption and reminded government officials to combat economic corruption in a decisive way. \"Government officials welcomed confronting economic corruption, but if they had acted on my recommendations, we would never have had events like the recent banking embezzlement.\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that it is necessary to prevent corruption from becoming deep-rooted and added that it becomes very difficult to uproot corruption once it becomes deep-rooted. He assured the people that the three branches of government are determined to confront the recent event and to prevent similar events and said that government officials in the executive, legislative and judiciary branches are doing their duty.\"
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it inadvisable to create uproar which may prompt others to take advantage of this issue. However, he assured the people that government officials will follow up the issue until the end and that they will cut off the treacherous hands.
His Eminence emphatically urged the judiciary to keep the people updated about the case and stressed: \"The judiciary system must not have mercy on wrong-doers, vandals and corrupt individuals.\"
Iran\'s judiciary is investigating the recent large embezzlement case and has issued arrest warrants for a number of suspects. Also a number of bank managers have been fired.
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei Iran\'s Prosecutor General, who has been put in charge of the embezzlement case by the Judiciary Chief, has announced that the case is being investigated swiftly and decisively. He has also said that the culprits will be severely punished.
Iran\'s Judiciary Chief Sadeq Larijani has stressed that the judiciary system will follow up the issue decisively. He has also said that the judiciary has been investigating the embezzlement case for almost two months.
1:44
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[Qatar Exposed] Qatari Emir secretly visited Israel Clip English
أمير قطر زار اسرائيل سرا
أمير قطر الشيخ حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني قام بزيارة سرية الى اسرائيل
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin...
أمير قطر زار اسرائيل سرا
أمير قطر الشيخ حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني قام بزيارة سرية الى اسرائيل
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has made a secret visit to Israel despite the fact that Doha and Tel Aviv have no political relations, a video has revealed.
Israeli Kadima leader Tzipi Livni welcomed the Emir and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Bin Jaber Al Thani during the visit.
The Qatari Emir and his delegation also met several high-ranking Israeli officials.
Signing a new gas export contract and writing Qatari textbooks by Israeli experts were among topics discussed between Sheikh Hamad and Livni.
Sheikh Hamad reportedly stressed the significance of political relations between the two sides.
Livni informed Qatar of its important role in talks between Arabs and Israel.
Qatar and Israel have common viewpoints regarding Iran's nuclear program. Doha has repeatedly supported Tel Aviv against Iran. Qatar would also be able to assist Israel in the event of a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.
It is noteworthy that in April 2008, Livni, who was Israeli foreign minister, used a visit to Qatar to lobby the Arab state to oppose Iran's nuclear program.
AGB/HGH
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Description:
أمير قطر زار اسرائيل سرا
أمير قطر الشيخ حمد بن خليفة آل ثاني قام بزيارة سرية الى اسرائيل
Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has made a secret visit to Israel despite the fact that Doha and Tel Aviv have no political relations, a video has revealed.
Israeli Kadima leader Tzipi Livni welcomed the Emir and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Bin Jaber Al Thani during the visit.
The Qatari Emir and his delegation also met several high-ranking Israeli officials.
Signing a new gas export contract and writing Qatari textbooks by Israeli experts were among topics discussed between Sheikh Hamad and Livni.
Sheikh Hamad reportedly stressed the significance of political relations between the two sides.
Livni informed Qatar of its important role in talks between Arabs and Israel.
Qatar and Israel have common viewpoints regarding Iran's nuclear program. Doha has repeatedly supported Tel Aviv against Iran. Qatar would also be able to assist Israel in the event of a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.
It is noteworthy that in April 2008, Livni, who was Israeli foreign minister, used a visit to Qatar to lobby the Arab state to oppose Iran's nuclear program.
AGB/HGH
2:21
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Ismail Haniyeh visits Tunisia - Jan 5, 2012 - English
Ismail Haniyeh, Prime Minister of Palestine, visited Tunisia on Thursday, January 5th. Haniyeh, who is making his first official trip abroad since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, has...
Ismail Haniyeh, Prime Minister of Palestine, visited Tunisia on Thursday, January 5th. Haniyeh, who is making his first official trip abroad since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, has already been welcomed in Turkey and Egypt and is scheduled to visit Qatar, Bahrain and Iran after he concludes his trip in Tunisia.
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Description:
Ismail Haniyeh, Prime Minister of Palestine, visited Tunisia on Thursday, January 5th. Haniyeh, who is making his first official trip abroad since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, has already been welcomed in Turkey and Egypt and is scheduled to visit Qatar, Bahrain and Iran after he concludes his trip in Tunisia.