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Peugeot-Citroen was the worst affected French company when the U-S and its allies imposed sanctions against Iran in 2012. Until then, the car-maker had been sending spare parts to its former partner Iran-Khodro. When it stopped doing so, it entered a period of deep crisis which led to thousands of job cuts in the company. In a country facing record high unemployment, this was a shock. With the new deal between Iran and five permanent members of the U-N Security Council plus Germany, the sanctions on Tehran are eased, bringing a mix of respite and caution to labor unions. Peugeot Citroen\'s share prices rose just a day after the ease on sanctions was announced. Before the sanctions, the company was the biggest player on Iranian roads. Peugeot has recently announced it is hiring a new chairman in 2014. But labor unions are skeptical if Carlos Tavares can really turn around the car-maker\'s fortunes. In the coming days, Tehran will host the first international car makers\' conference on Iranian auto-industry. And that is where French car brands will find out, if they will dominate Iranian roads as they once did.

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Ayatollah Khamenei Speech, in a meeting with the laborers on the occasion of Labor Day دیدار کارگران در گروہ صنعتی مپنا Translation source : english.khamenei.ir In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful I thank Allah the Exalted for giving me the opportunity today to be present among this large and enthusiastic gathering of you dear ones in this very important business, economic and industrial center and to have a meeting with you dear ones on the occasion of Labor Day which has always been an important occasion for us. Today, I have more reasons to be happy. Let me put it this way: one of the programs which is usually interesting to me throughout the year is the program of meeting with laborers on the occasion of Labor Day. Today, this occasion has been accompanied by paying a visit to this active and leading center - MAPNA Group - which thankfully enjoys many characteristics of positive work in the country. These two factors are a source of happiness and delight for us. Well, today\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s visit was a very valuable visit for me. Meeting with you dear workers and activists is another valuable opportunity. We are very close to the month of Rajab. The month of Rajab is the month of serving God. It is the month of attention and vigilance. And we people of the country and lovers of the fate of the country and the people believe - almost everyone in the country believes this - that we can carry out many tasks and take giant steps with divine assistance, help and guidance. Today, I would like to discuss two issues briefly. One is about the issues of labor and laborers. What we have always stressed and emphasized is respecting and appreciating the value of labor and laborers. This is what we firmly believe is a necessity for the general culture of the country. The word laborer has a general meaning. Imam (may God bestow paradise on him) used to say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"Prophets were laborers as well\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". This is true. In your group too, laborers range from your managers, your economic activists, your decision-makers and the entrepreneurs who prepare the ground for developing and improving the quality of work as well as all laborers including educated, skilled, experienced and simple laborers. The essence of labor is respectable. The essence of dynamism and effort in the right direction is respectable. This is the viewpoint of Islam. Everything should be shaped on the basis of this respect and appreciation. If we define what is called the rights and positions of laborers, this should be based on this respect for labor and laborers. The truth of the issue is that human and material achievements in all eras and the spiritual, psychological and intrinsic progress of every individual are not possible except with labor. So, labor and diligence are necessary. The holy ayah that our reciter recited with his beautiful voice - \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 53: 39] - means that your achievements are made only in the shade of your effort, your diligence and your hard work. Wherever we are, we should think and work like this. The outlook which is based on hostility between laborers and employers is a wrong interpretation of a truth. Everyone should cooperate with one another. The outlook which is based on hostility, opposition and harassment and which has dominated western thoughts is a rejected and unacceptable outlook from the viewpoint of Islam. Of course, this outlook is not particular to Marxists. Even before Marxists, this hostile outlook was common and prevalent in western thought. Islam invites to alliance, unity, cooperation, compassion and collaboration. This is the basis of Islamic thought in all activities. Of course, cooperation has certain limits and regulations. Everyone has certain rights and they should be respected. But this is possible in the shade of the Islamic government. An outlook which is based on hostility is wrong and an outlook which is based on cooperation and interaction is correct from the viewpoint of Islam. This is a thought which should exist in all areas and on all issues related to life. We have to defend ourselves in the face of those individuals who damage the psychological, spiritual, intellectual and existential reputation and dignity of the people and society, but the main essence is cooperation, interaction, collaboration and alliance. This is the main outlook of Islam. We believe that our society of laborers should be respected and appreciated. We believe that anyone who works and anyone who does it in the right way benefits from divine mercy. There is a narration which says, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy be upon those who carry out a task in a proper way\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". A person who does something in the right way benefits from God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy. This is the first issue and one of the two issues which I deemed necessary to discuss. The second issue is about a reality, one of the beautiful aspects of which can be seen in this work group - MAPNA Group. This reality is the reality of competence - one that results from knowledge, intelligence, diligence, innovation and firm determination - which we can fortunately see in this group. This is our outlook towards the general movement of the country. National determination and jihadi management is the slogan of the year 1393, but this is not something which is particular to the year 1393. This is our identity, our dignity and our future. This slogan illustrates our fate. If there is national determination and jihadi management, then economy and culture will make progress. A people who enjoy an advanced economy and culture will reach peaks and they will not be humiliated. Before the Revolution, they humiliated us for tens of years. Despite their background, old civilization, deep cultural heritage and the many scholars and scientists who existed in different fields throughout the history of the country, the people of Iran reached a point where their rulers had to send some agents to American and English embassies in order to ask for their permission on fundamental issues. Is there a greater humiliation for a people? The day when there was no trace of knowledge in Europe and the day ignorance in the real sense of the word was dominant in these countries, Iran offered to the world Farabis, Ibn Sinas, Mohammad ibn Zakariya Razis, Sheikh Tusis and other such personalities. This is our legacy. This is our past. We should not have been humiliated. We should not have allowed global plundering powers to take our economy in their hands, to take our oil, to have access to our resources and to humiliate our people in political and social areas. But this happened anyway. If the people of Iran want to achieve a position which befits them, this position has been defined. I have repeatedly said that our people should reach a point where seekers of knowledge throughout the world have to learn Farsi in order to reach peaks of knowledge. This position has already been defined. We may reach this point in 50 years, but this is alright. If we want to reach this already defined position, the way to do this is to benefit from knowledge, intelligence, the power to be highly dynamic and to innovate, and firm determination in all areas. The economy should improve and without cultural growth, improving the economy is neither possible nor valuable. Culture too should achieve transcendence and it should improve. Therefore, this year\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s slogan is the slogan of our life and it will be our slogan forever. Fortunately today, one can see this in different sectors of the active economic and industrial society of the country including MAPNA Group. I have received certain reports in this regard. Today, I witnessed up close some of the things that I had read and seen in these reports. This shows that the slogan which was chanted by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.) - that is to say, the slogan of \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"we can\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" - is a real slogan, not an empty one. This is really the case. The tasks which were considered by some of our outstanding personalities and managers to be impossible are easily and smoothly being carried out today in your group. I do not forget that in the early years of 1360s, when I was the president, we had an unfinished gas power plant in an area of the country - I do not want to say where it was. We used to insist that we should finish this power plant on our own. A number of officials - some of them are alive and some of them have passed away [God\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy be upon them] - came to me and said, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"It is not possible to do this. Do not bother yourselves and do not try in vain\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". They had come to me to persuade me that we cannot do this. They insisted that we ask such and such a company to come and finish it for us. This happened amid the war which was an era of numerous pressures and difficult sanctions. Today, you youth, activists and jihadi and valuable managers of the country have managed to achieve a high rank - sixth - in the area of building gas power plants. You are the sixth company after the American, German, French, Italian and Japanese companies. You are building gas power plants and this is very important. In those years, they used to say to us that this is not possible. But this happened with diligence, with hard work, with reliance on Allah the Exalted, with support of talented forces and with the firm determination that our managers showed. I want to say to you my dear ones that you should improve your level by 10 times. This can happen as well and it will happen. The people who are weak and who adopt short-sighted outlooks cannot understand certain things because they do not know human nature, because they do not understand divine assistance, because they do not appreciate the value of firm determination and because they deny our innate talents. This is one of the disasters that happened to our people. The many years of cultural, political and economic domination of foreigners over the country had instilled the idea in the minds of the people that Iranians do not have any talent. Notice what great treachery this is. The Iranians\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\' intelligence is higher than the global average. Iranian youth and Iranian talents are among the most intelligent people in the world. This is while they used to pretend that there is no talent in the country. This is related to the pre-revolutionary era and unfortunately until the first years of the Revolution, there were some people into whose minds these thoughts had rooted themselves. I would like to recount another memory for your dear brothers and sisters. Someone came to me to prove that we should not follow up the road and highway projects that we had. He used to say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We do not have any managers for these projects\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" and he used to give some examples. Well, these are the thoughts that keep a people backward. Thankfully, your laborers, your managers, your officials, your designers and all of you have worked well in this group. Today, MAPNA Group is a glorious group. It is a source of pride for the country and for you yourselves who have managed to develop this capability and show it off to friends and enemies. You should be proud of this capability. Wherever you are, all of you laborers, managers, officials, designers and decision-makers in different areas should be proud that you have participated in developing this beautiful and glorious product. Of course, the activities of this group and similar groups should be supported. One of the supports is that governmental organizations should consider themselves responsible to avoid preparing the ground for foreign rivals to compete with the products of such groups. This is one of the areas of the economy of resistance which we have promoted. Domestic production is the spinal cord of the economy of resistance. If we want domestic production to develop, then we should inject help into it. Besides, we should prevent the things which stunt its growth. We should do something to create a market for our products and to control - I do not want to use the word prevent - the importation of similar foreign products by making an exact calculation. The administration should provide help in the contracts that this group and similar groups have with foreign countries. We said before that our economy grows from the inside and that it interacts with the outside world. We should grow, blossom and improve from the inside. But we should pay attention to the outside world as well. Global markets belong to us. So, we should be able to show our presence in these markets with our determination and innovation. And this presence is not possible without the administration\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s support. Different governmental sectors can participate in this area. An important factor in jihadi management is self-assurance, self-confidence and trust in divine assistance. This is the reason why I mention the auspicious names of Imam Baqir (a.s.) and the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) and this is the reason why I expressed - in the beginning of my speech - my congratulations on the occasion of the month of Rajab. We should rely on Allah the Exalted and ask for His help in all tasks. We should trust divine assistance. When you ask Allah the Exalted to help you, all paths will open to you: \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"And for those who fear Allah, He always prepares a way out. And He provides for him from sources he could never imagine\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\" [The Holy Quran, 65: 2-3]. The provision which has been referred to in this ayah and in other ayahs becomes available to us in different forms. Sometimes, an idea flashes through your mind and as a result, a path will open. This is divine provision. And during difficult times, a great hope is suddenly engendered into your heart. This is divine provision as well. Therefore, it is necessary to have trust in divine assistance and to utilize our intelligence and knowledge which is one of the bases of the economy of resistance and which was explained in this meeting. It is also necessary to pay attention to knowledge-based groups. Fortunately, your group is one of the outstanding examples of knowledge-based groups. Another thing which is necessary is to work hard. The significance of work should not be underestimated. You should not be satisfied with the achievements that you have already made. Rather, you should be interested in making more achievements. Being satisfied with the level that we have reached will make us suffer from stagnation and inactivity. Therefore, it is necessary to innovate and to take unknown paths and shortcuts. One of the things which I have written down to discuss is the issue of research and development. This issue is very important. Fortunately, when I was visiting this center today, I saw that this issue has received attention. Fortunately, I saw that an important area has been specified for research and development. Another issue is cooperation and connecting capacities to one another in different sectors so that they can be aware of the latest developments. Have other active economic and industrial sectors been informed of the resources which exist in MAPNA? Are they aware of these resources? Are the universities of the country completely aware of the capacities of MAPNA? And are you aware of the capacities of universities? Of course, the report that our friends delivered to me shows that the officials of this group are active in this regard. However, I would like to stress this issue - the issue of cooperation and utilization of one another\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s capacities. This is like interlaced objects. Everyone should benefit from others because this overlap and cooperation will lead to more achievements. The honorable manager - Mr. Aliabadi - raised a point in his speech which I agree with and which I have always paid attention to. He said that sanctions are lifted in any area where we gain a capability. He is right. Sanctions are imposed whenever your hands are tied. If you can show dynamism and progress in any area, the other side feels that imposing sanctions is wrong, absurd and foolish. A clear example of this is the twenty-percent enriched uranium that we seriously needed for Tehran research reactor. The country was running out of its supplies. If we had not been able to provide the twenty-percent enriched uranium, this research reactor would have been closed and the people would not have had access to the radiopharmaceuticals that they needed and that were being produced in the country. Therefore, officials tried to provide the twenty-percent enriched uranium. The story of the game that global powers - headed by America and some other powers - played on the issue of the twenty-percent enriched uranium is a long, sweet and interesting story. It is interesting to know what they did. We were ready to buy it, but they used all kinds of tricks to create obstacles. Finally, the Islamic Republic came to the conclusion that it should produce the twenty-percent enriched uranium on its own. However, they did not believe that this would happen. They did not believe that after producing it, it would be possible for us to produce fuel out of it. That is to say, they did not believe that we could produce fuel rods and fuel plates. But like you, the youth of the Islamic Republic and the young scientists of the country managed to carry out this task with their intelligence, innovation and good management. Now that the entire world knows the Islamic Republic has achieved this technology and product and is able to use it, they say that we should buy it from them. Different countries ask us to buy it from them. They say, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"We are prepared to sell it to you. So, do not produce it on your own\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\". Global pressures and the wrong behavior of small and big powers towards the Islamic Republic and towards any independent system correlate with their weakness and their power. In any area you show weakness, they behave in a worse way. In any area you show strength and manage to stand on your own feet, they will have to behave towards you in a more polite and reasonable way. This is the key to solving all the problems of the country. The country should blossom from the inside. You should manufacture your products on your own and you should build your economy and your future from the inside. And the people of Iran are a talented people and they can do this. Our human resources are infinite and our natural resources are thankfully many. I hope that Allah the Exalted bestows success on all of you. I hope that He bestows success on us, officials and all the people so that we can carry out our responsibilities. Greetings be upon you and Allah\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s mercy and blessings

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بازديد رهبر انقلاب از شركت كارخانجات داروپخش http://farsi.khamenei.ir/news-content?id=19505 در سال تولید ملی و در آستانه‌ی روز كارگر، حضرت آیت‌الله خامنه‌ای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی صبح روز 10 اردیبهشت 1391، با حضور در كارخانجات تولیدی داروپخش، از نزدیك در جریان آخرین دستاوردهای تولیدِ دارو در كشور قرار گرفتند و در جمع هزاران نفر از كارگران نمونه‌ی سراسر كشور تأكید كردند: تحقق واقعی اهداف مختلف كشور از جمله استقلال سیاسی، نیازمند خوداتكایی و استقلال اقتصادی است. استقلال اقتصادی نیز به شكل‌گیری تولید ملی مشروط است و تولید ملی نیز با احترام حقیقی، همگانی و عملی به كار ایرانی و سرمایه‌ی ایرانی به وجود خواهد آمد. رهبر انقلاب اسلامی در ابتدای ورودشان به محل شركت كارخانجات داروپخش، در جایگاه یادمان شهدای كارگر حضور یافتند و با قرائت فاتحه، برای ایشان علو درجات را از درگاه خداوند مسئلت كردند. حضرت آیت‌الله خامنه‌ای سپس در سالن استریل تولید داروهای تزریقی و قطره حضور یافتند و از مراحل مختلف تولید، كنترل و بسته‌بندی این داروها بازدید به عمل آوردند. بخش تولید، كنترل و بسته‌بندی داروهای تزریقی و قطره‌های استریل چشمی و بینی شركت تولیدی داروپخش در مدت یك سال و به دست متخصصان داخلی طراحی و ساخته و تجهیز شده است. از جمله داروهای تولیدی در این بخش، داروی هورمون رشد است كه مراحل تولید آن بسیار پیچیده و تنها در انحصار چند كشور معدود است. امروز همزمان با بازدید رهبر انقلاب اسلامی از كارخانجات تولیدی داروپخش، نخستین داروی تزریقی این مجموعه با نام تجاری «انوكساپارین 6000» تولید و روانه‌ی بازار شد. در این دیدار همچنین وزاری بهداشت، درمان و آموزش پزشكی و نیز تعاون، كار و رفاه اجتماعی و همچنین وزیر صنعت، معدن و تجارت گزارشی از اهم فعالیت‌ها را ارائه كردند. خانم دكتر وحید دستجردی وزیر بهداشت، درمان و آموزش پزشكی با اشاره به دستاوردهای كارخانه‌های تولید داروی كشور با وجود تحریم‌ها گفت: تحریم‌ها به عنوان یك فرصت موجب شده است كه متخصصان داخلی با عزم جدی در تولید دارو و به‌ویژه داروهای با فناوری‌های پیشرفته گام بردارند و جمهوری اسلامی ایران به كشور اول منطقه در تولید دارو تبدیل شده است. http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1627 Supreme Leader Meets with Laborers 29/04/2012 On the eve of International Labor Day, Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met today with a group of exemplary laborers from across the country. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence described labor as the driving force behind the progress of all societies. Ayatollah Khamenei said that socialist and capitalist governments take advantage of laborers and added that in contrast to socialism and capitalism, Islam is honest with laborers and considers labor as valuable. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is necessary to apply Islamic principles to labor and laborers. He added that investment and labor are two essential requirements for national production and progress. \\\"It is necessary to value Iranian labor and investment so that national production becomes viable in the real sense of the word.\\\" His Eminence stressed that the enemies have focused their plots on economic issues and added: \\\"The signs of this great plot are becoming more visible on a daily basis in current conditions. But by Allah\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation will remove this obstacle from its path by relying on the same willpower that helped them remove the previous obstacles.\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that the efforts of Iranian laborers, investors and managers are the requirement for overcoming the economic plots of the enemy. He reiterated: \\\"The people should also reveal their determination to oppose the enemy by consuming our domestic products.\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the government should pay attention to the issue of domestic production and stated: \\\"There is a need for fundamental work in this area. The strength our economy depends on constant efforts by the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of government.\\\" His Eminence said that supporting healthy economic activities, labor, production and investment is among the responsibilities of the three branches of government. He referred to the measures that should be adopted in this regard and added: \\\"Improving skills, training the workforce, adopting the correct managerial perspective and creating a sense of security both for laborers and for investors are among the things that should be done.\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that confronting and combating economic disruption in an appropriate way is a necessity for strengthening domestic production. He added that smuggling and misusing the money that the people have invested in the banks are among the manifestations of economic disruption. He explained: \\\"Receiving large amounts of money from our banks to spend on a particular project and then diverting the money to other things is an example of treachery and stealing from the people, and it is necessary to confront such people.\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei said that creating competition, improving the quality of domestic products and minimizing the cost of production are other requirements for national production. He added: \\\"The government should help our production units in this regard.\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: \\\"The three branches of government, different governmental organizations, the private sector, those who are in charge of improving the culture of our society, the IRIB and everybody else should be at the service of national production so that by Allah\\\'s favor, we can strike a serious blow to the blood-thirsty enemies of the Iranian nation.\\\"

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Vali Amr Muslimeen Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Khamenei delivered this speech in front of thousands of labourers working in Islamic Republic of Iran on 29 April 2012. Supreme Leader Meets with Laborers 29/04/2012 On the eve of International Labor Day, Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met today with a group of exemplary laborers from across the country. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence described labor as the driving force behind the progress of all societies. Ayatollah Khamenei said that socialist and capitalist governments take advantage of laborers and added that in contrast to socialism and capitalism, Islam is honest with laborers and considers labor as valuable. The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is necessary to apply Islamic principles to labor and laborers. He added that investment and labor are two essential requirements for national production and progress. \\\\\\\"It is necessary to value Iranian labor and investment so that national production becomes viable in the real sense of the word.\\\\\\\" His Eminence stressed that the enemies have focused their plots on economic issues and added: \\\\\\\"The signs of this great plot are becoming more visible on a daily basis in current conditions. But by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, the Iranian nation will remove this obstacle from its path by relying on the same willpower that helped them remove the previous obstacles.\\\\\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that the efforts of Iranian laborers, investors and managers are the requirement for overcoming the economic plots of the enemy. He reiterated: \\\\\\\"The people should also reveal their determination to oppose the enemy by consuming our domestic products.\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the government should pay attention to the issue of domestic production and stated: \\\\\\\"There is a need for fundamental work in this area. The strength our economy depends on constant efforts by the executive, legislative and judiciary branches of government.\\\\\\\" His Eminence said that supporting healthy economic activities, labor, production and investment is among the responsibilities of the three branches of government. He referred to the measures that should be adopted in this regard and added: \\\\\\\"Improving skills, training the workforce, adopting the correct managerial perspective and creating a sense of security both for laborers and for investors are among the things that should be done.\\\\\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that confronting and combating economic disruption in an appropriate way is a necessity for strengthening domestic production. He added that smuggling and misusing the money that the people have invested in the banks are among the manifestations of economic disruption. He explained: \\\\\\\"Receiving large amounts of money from our banks to spend on a particular project and then diverting the money to other things is an example of treachery and stealing from the people, and it is necessary to confront such people.\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei said that creating competition, improving the quality of domestic products and minimizing the cost of production are other requirements for national production. He added: \\\\\\\"The government should help our production units in this regard.\\\\\\\" The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: \\\\\\\"The three branches of government, different governmental organizations, the private sector, those who are in charge of improving the culture of our society, the IRIB and everybody else should be at the service of national production so that by Allah\\\\\\\'s favor, we can strike a serious blow to the blood-thirsty enemies of the Iranian nation.\\\\\\\"

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[13 June 2012] Qatar lacks single shred of democracy - English Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that Qatar's World Cup stadiums may be built using an exploited labor force of migrant workers in Qatar and urged the country to reform its employment laws. Interview with Ali al-Ahmed, director of the IGA

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Walmart employees in the U-S state of California are on strike again. They say the chain stores corporation is retaliating against workers who speak out. The strike is part of a nationwide strategy to call for a change of action at the largest retailer in the world.

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At Tunisia\'s National Dialogue between Ennahda ruling party and the opposition, the mediation efforts of the Labor Union have failed as the Islamic party defended Ahmed Mestiri, an 88 year old candidate for the position of Prime Minister. But the Salvation Front nominated Mohamed Ennaceur, 79, to form the new Cabinet of independents tasked with ending the political, economic and security crisis

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South Asian rights groups have called for a boycott of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar unless the Persian Gulf state improves conditions for migrant construction workers. Migrant workers, mostly from South or Southeast Asia, suffer alarming levels of exploitation. There are many reports of non-payment of wages and hazardous working conditions. Qatar is currently in the middle of a construction boom meant to prepare the gas-rich nation for the world\'s most popular sporting event. Amnesty International has also censured Qatar over its mistreatment of migrant construction workers, describing their conditions as deplorable.

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Trade unions in the Gaza Strip have held a demonstration at the Rafah crossing against Egyptian military restrictions. A years-long Israeli blockade of the coastal enclave has only gotten worse after the Egyptian military started to crack down on underground tunnels near the Gaza border. Press TV\'s Ashraf Shannon has a report from Gaza.

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Exit polls show incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu\\\'s hard-line Likud-Beitenu bloc and their allies have won a narrow majority in the Israeli general election. However, Netanyahu\\\'s Likud Party-Yisrael Beitenu and nationalist allies performed far worse than expected in Tuesday\\\'s election and lost ground to center-left parties, according to the exit polls. If the exit polls are correct, the hard-liners will win a narrow majority with about 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament. It has been projected that Netanyahu\\\'s Likud Party-Yisrael Beitenu alliance will emerge as the largest faction with 30 or 31 seats. The new centrist party, Yesh Atid (There is a Future), led by journalist-turned-politician Yair Lapid, is predicted to win 18 or 19 seats, followed by left-leaning Labor, with 17 seats. Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich said, \\\"There is a high chance of a shake-up and an end to the Netanyahu government.\\\" The nearly 67 percent turnout is thought to have benefited Labor and centrists. Watch this video on our website: http://www.presstv.ir/Program/285472.html Broadcast Date: 24 Jan. 2013

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President: Supporting Iran's National Production on Government's Agenda TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a message on the occasion of the new Iranian year on Tuesday, stressed that support for national production is high on the agenda of the government this year. In a nationwide address on the state-run TV, President Ahmadinejad congratulated the nation on the advent of the spring season and Nowrouz (marking the start of the Iranian new year). "Like previous years, support for national production, exports, capital and labor is on the government agenda for this year," President Ahmadinejad stated. The president lauded the Iranian nation's progress in various economic, scientific, industrial, technological and political fields and vowed that Iran would continue on the same path at a higher pace in the new year. Ahmadinejad stressed that the country should be developed through the thoughts and efforts of the Iranian nation. He further expressed the hope that the new year would bring further prosperity for the people of the country. Also on Tuesday, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei named the new Iranian year as the "Year of National Production, Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital", and once again underlined the importance of efforts to bolster the country's economic progress. In a televised address on the occasion of the advent of the Iranian New Year, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei extends his congratulatory message in the early hours of the Persian calendar year of 1391. Ayatollah Khamenei said Economic Jihad, which was the slogan of the previous year, is never-ending, adding that one important aspect of economic issues is domestic production. The Leader said if domestic production prospers, most of the enemies' efforts will undoubtedly fail. Ayatollah Khamenei said the prosperity of national production is the key to resolving the problems of inflation and unemployment and will strengthen domestic economy.

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حضرت آیت‌الله خامنه‌ای رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی عصر روز 3 مرداد 1391 در ديدار مسئولان و كارگزاران نظام، آرمانگرايی همراه با واقع‌بينی را رمز حركت پيشرو ملت و نظام اسلامی در 32 سال اخير برشمردند و با تأكيد بر توانايی‌ها و ظرفيت‌های تعيين‌كننده‌ی ملت و نظام اسلامی، به تشريح ضرورت‌ها و بايدها و نبايدهای مقابله با چالش‌های پيچيده‌ی دشمنان پرداختند. در ابتدای این دیدار، رئیس‌جمهور بر تعهد دولت به ارزش‌ها، اصول و حقوق اساسی ملت نظیر توحید، عدالت، آزادی، كرامت مردم، پاك‌دستی، خدمت‌گزاری و پیشرفت كشور تأكید و گزارشی از عملكرد هفت‌ساله‌ی دولت را در عرصه‌های مختلف بیان كرد. آقای احمدی‌نژاد با اشاره به قرار گرفتن ماهواره‌ی ایرانی در مدار و پیوستن كشورمان به باشگاه فضایی، تولید و تأمین سوخت رآكتورهای داخلی، فعالیت 11هزار دستگاه سانتریفیوژ در مجتمع‌های غنی‌سازی و ساخت 20 رادیودارو، از سرعت چندبرابری رشد علمی كشورمان در مقایسه با رشد علمی جهان خبر داد و افزود: تقویت روحیه‌ی امید و خودباوری به‌ویژه در میان جوانان، در صدر جهت‌گیری‌های دولت است. رئیس‌جمهور با بیان برخی آمارها و ارقام در طول هفت سال اخیر و مقایسه با گذشته، به هشت‌برابر شدن تولیدات علمی بخش پزشكی، افزایش چهاربرابری سهم كشور در تولیدات علمی منطقه و رشد بیش از چهاربرابری مقالات علمیِ نمایه‌شده در مجلات معتبر بین‌المللی در حوزه‌ی وزارت علوم اشاره كرد و افزود: سهم ایران در تولید علم جهان از یك‌دهم درصد در سال 1357 به سه‌دهم درصد در سال 1384 و 1.2 درصد در سال 1390 رسیده است كه 12برابر افزایش را در طول هفت سال گذشته نشان می‌دهد. آقای احمدی‌نژاد در بخش دیگری از سخنان خود به پیشرفت‌های كشور در حوزه‌ی صنعت اشاره كرد و با یادآوری افزایش ظرفیت تولید در بخش‌های مختلف گفت: ایران در بخش تولید خودرو در رتبه‌ی سیزدهم، در تولید فولاد در رتبه‌ی هفدهم و در تولید مس در رتبه‌ی دهم جهان قرار دارد. رئیس‌جمهور با بیان این كه سرمایه‌گذاری در بخش نفت و گاز از 21 هزار میلیارد تومان در سال 1384 به 110 هزار میلیارد تومان در سال 90 رسیده است، افزود: با بهره‌برداری از تمام فازهای پارس جنوبی، مشكل برداشت از مخازن مشترك نیز رفع می‌شود. رئیس‌جمهور افزود: علاوه بر سرمایه‌گذاری 335 هزار میلیارد تومانی در حوزه‌ی راه و شهرسازی، در هفت سال اخیر، شش میلیون و 719 هزار واحد مسكونی ساخته شده است. http://english.khamenei.ir//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1654 Supreme Leader Meets Government Officials 24/07/2012 Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Thursday evening with government officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Speaking at the meeting, which was also attended by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, His Eminence referred to the challenges that the Islamic Republic has faced since the victory of the Islamic Revolution - including the assassinations, the ethnic conflicts, the imposed war, the sanctions, the events that took place in Tir 1378 and the post-election turmoil in 1388 - and stated: "The massive capacities and capabilities of the Iranian nation helped the Islamic Republic to successfully confront all these challenges and to become more powerful at every stage." Ayatollah Khamenei said that the enemies of the Islamic Revolution are trying to show that the Iranian nation has reached a dead end, further adding: "They openly say that it is necessary to force the Iranian government officials to revise their calculations by intensifying pressures and sanctions, but looking at the existing realities causes us not only to avoid revising our calculations, but it also causes us to continue the path of the Iranian nation with more confidence." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution mentioned examples of the existing realities, saying: "One of the realities that should not be ignored is the opposition of a few arrogant governments to the Islamic Republic and their increasing and complex pressures on the Islamic Republic." His Eminence added: "Relying on their powerful propaganda machine, these few arrogant governments that enjoy political, economic and media capabilities, are pretending to be the international community." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "Of course, these few bullying governments have their own followers, but if America stops supporting them, they are nothing and they are not even taken into consideration in global calculations." His Eminence added: "Another reality is that the enmity of these few arrogant governments towards the Islamic Republic is rooted in the essence of the Islamic system, but they are pretending that their confrontation with the Iranian nation is because of the nuclear issue and human rights." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution reiterated: "Of course, considering the absolutely dismal track record of America, Zionism, England and the other arrogant powers in human rights, nobody believes their lies." Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that the Islamic Revolution of the Iranian nation freed this important country from the clutches of the arrogant powers and it caused increasing motivation and awakening in the world of Islam. For this reason, by harming the Islamic Republic, they are trying to teach others a lesson so that they do not follow the Islamic Republic as their role model." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the challenges faced by the Islamic Republic are not new and added: "At a certain stage, Iranian ships used to be targeted in the Persian Gulf and our oil terminals and industrial centers were being bombarded by the enemy, but today the ill-wishers of the Islamic Republic do not have the courage to even approach Iran." His Eminence said that the increased capabilities and confidence of the Islamic Republic in the face of the threats is another reality and stressed: "Another reality is that the opposing camp - led by America and Zionism - has grown far weaker than the past." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "The increased vulnerability of the Zionist regime after the events and revolutions that took place in the region, the defeats that the Zionist regime suffered during the 33-day war in Lebanon and the 22-day war in Gaza, America's destiny in Iraq, the increasing and unending problems of America in Afghanistan and America's failure in its Middle Eastern policies are clear examples of the increasing weakness of the opposing camp." Ayatollah Khamenei said that the crisis that has afflicted western enemies of the Islamic Republic is another reality. He added: "The serious threat of economic crisis in the European Union and the eurozone, instability in several European countries, the fall of several European governments, the substantial budget deficit in America and the 99 percent movement are important events that must not be ignored." His Eminence stressed: "The economic problems of western countries are essentially different from the economic problems of our country because our problems are like the problems of a group of climbers who are continuously moving towards the peak, but the west is like a bus that is trapped under an avalanche." Ayatollah Khamenei said that the developments in the region and in North Africa are among the existing realities, adding: "The increased capabilities of the Islamic Republic are another crucial reality." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the population control policies and stressed the need for revising these policies. He reiterated: "In the early 1370s, implementing these policies was correct for specific reasons at that time, but it was a mistake to continue the same policies in the following years." Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Scientific and expert studies show that if the population control policies are continued, we will gradually suffer from aging and population decline. Therefore, our government officials should seriously revise the population control policies. And the owner of media outlets and those who speak to the public - especially the clergy - should take action to raise public awareness in this regard." His Eminence said that Iran's retreat and flexibility against the enemy will only make the enemy more insolent. Ayatollah Khamenei added: "At a time when our government officials used to flatter the west and America in their statements, the person who was the personification of evil decided to label the Islamic Republic of Iran as axis of evil." His Eminence said that Iran retreated in the nuclear issue at a certain stage, adding: "At that stage, because of the cooperation with westerners and the retreats that were made, the enemies advanced so much that I had to step in personally." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution added: "At that time, westerners became so insolent that even when our government officials became satisfied with only three centrifuges, the westerners expressed their opposition even to that, but today we have eleven thousand centrifuges that are active in the country." Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "If those retreats had continued, today there would be no nuclear advances and no scientific dynamism and innovation in the country." His Eminence said that sanctions will prove ineffective in the face of intelligent resistance. He described the economic sanctions as temporary and added: "This is because continuing these sanctions for a long time is not in the interest of western countries." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the sanctions that have been imposed on the Islamic Republic will only benefit America and the Zionist regime, further stressing: "The other countries have either been forced to go along with sanctions or they are just doing it as a ceremonial gesture. And these conditions will not continue." Ayatollah Khamenei said that 20 countries have been exempted from the oil sanctions imposed on Iran and added that certain western countries are making efforts to circumvent the sanctions. He stated that these are signs which show it is impossible to continue the current conditions. "All these realities show that it is necessary to continue the path of resistance by relying on God, taking more risks and having judgment and wisdom." The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that economic matters are very important for the country and its progressive movement. He stressed: "The purpose of the enemy's economic pressures in the present situation is to undermine our national growth and welfare and to create problems for the people in order to make them disappointed and isolate them from the Islamic Republic." Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Over the past few years, it has been clear that the enemy has focused its machinations on the economy of the country. For this reason, the slogans of the recent years - such as "Reforming the Norms of Consumption", "Intensified Effort and Labor", "Economic Jihad" and "National Production and Supporting Iranian Labor and Capital" - were introduced in order to create an economic system and organize our national movement in the economic arena." His Eminence said that one way to counter the economic sanctions is to build an economy of resistance and explained: "Putting the people in charge of our economy by implementing the general policies specified in Article 44 of the Constitution, empowering the private sector, decreasing the country's dependence on oil, managing consumption, making the best of the available time, resources and facilities, moving forward on the basis of well-prepared plans and avoiding abrupt changes in the regulations and policies are among the pillars of an economy of resistance." Regarding the need to manage consumption, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: "Today moderation in consumption is a jihad-like movement and all governmental and non-governmental organizations and all the people should seriously avoid extravagance and try to consume domestically produced products." At the end of his statements, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed the issue of unity and solidarity in the country. Addressing government officials, he said: "Fortunately the people of Iran are united and you should safeguard this unity by staying away from pointless disputes and announcing these disputes through the media." His Eminence stressed: "If officials from the three branches of government level accusations against each other, it will be very harmful. And our government officials should know that such actions will not give them any prestige among the people." Ayatollah Khamenei added: "The truth is that problems exist, but it is wrong to blame them on each other. Rather, it is necessary to solve them through unity and judgment, and this is definitely possible."

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Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has called for the destruction of nuclear weapons across the world, saying Iran never plans to build such arms. \\\\\\\"We believe that nuclear weapons must be obliterated, and we do not intend to make nuclear weapons, but if we had not had this belief and had decided to possess nuclear weapons, no power could have prevented us,\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei said in an address to thousands of clerics, officials and people of the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz on Saturday. The US, the Israeli regime and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking to produce an atomic bomb under the cover of its nuclear energy program, a claim Iran has categorically rejected. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 2012, US President Barack Obama said, \\\\\\\"A nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained,\\\\\\\" adding \\\\\\\"The United States will do what we must to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.\\\\\\\" Reflecting on the US offer of direct talks with Iran, the Leader said Washington is using the media network which is under the influence of the Zionists and the Americans, to deceive the public opinion in the world, region and Iran. Ayatollah Khamenei added that the global media network either does not reflect the truth about Iran, or distorts the truth. The Leader stated that Washington proposes negotiations \\\\\\\"to show to the Muslim and proud nations of the region that despite all its tenacity and steadfastness, the Islamic Republic of Iran has finally come to the negotiating table; therefore you have no other choice but to surrender as well.\\\\\\\" Ayatollah Khamenei said from the Western point of view, the real meaning of negotiation is to accept what they say, adding that they want to negotiate with Iran to make it give up its nuclear program while \\\\\\\"they need to hear our reasoning if they are after logical talks.\\\\\\\" The Leader noted that the US claim that it would lift sanctions on Iran if the country comes to the negotiating table was a \\\\\\\"false promise.\\\\\\\" \\\\\\\"In fact, this promise is one of [the United States] deceitful remarks, which shows that they are not after real and fair negotiations, but seek the surrender of the Iranian nation,\\\\\\\" the Leader added. On February 2, US Vice President Joe Biden said his country was ready to hold direct talks with Iran over its nuclear energy program. Only four days later, the US government imposed new sanctions on Iran\\\\\\\'s energy sector. The sanctions aim to prevent Iran from gaining access to crude export revenues. The Leader also criticized Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for a recent row during the impeachment of the labor minister. Ayatollah Khamenei said that leveling accusations by the head of one branch of the government against the other two, the legislative and judicial branches, over an \\\\\\\"unsubstantiated document\\\\\\\" is unlawful and in violation of the rights of the Iranian nation. On February 3, Iran\\\\\\\'s Majlis voted to dismiss Labor and Social Affairs Minister Abdolreza Sheikholeslami over his failure to remove Saeed Mortazavi from his post as the head of the Social Security Organization. During Sheikholeslami\\\\\\\'s open impeachment session, Iran\\\\\\\'s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad played a tape showing a meeting between Mortazavi and Fazel Larijani, the brother of the Majlis speaker. The video purportedly showed Fazel Larijani attempting to use his family\\\\\\\'s political status for financial gain. Fazel Larijani has declared that he would file a lawsuit against Mortazavi and President Ahmadinejad for what he called an intrusion of privacy. The leader also criticized the Majlis speaker for overreacting to the accusations pressed by the president. Ayatollah Khamenei also said the very idea of impeachment at Majlis for a reason that did not relate to the minister was wrong. The Leader stated that Iranian officials must work to set aside differences and resolve domestic problems. The Leader further pointed to the Iranian nation\\\\\\\'s high turnout in the rallies held across the country to mark the 34th anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution and said economic problems did not lead to a separation between the people and the Islamic establishment.

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Canadians pack Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir Sunday August 18 (Toronto) – thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life and belonging to all faiths attended. They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths. Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. At its peak the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence day celebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held. Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers. The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged although organizers repeatedly reminded people to ignore Indian vendors peddling their wares. Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but also included such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, former President Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famous Taylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just Peace Advocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis. Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN Security Council resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadian government to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem of Kashmir. Several speakers also highlighted the fact that with federal elections due in October, the question of Kashmir should be made a part of the election campaign. Rally participants were told that when candidates come knocking at your door seeking your vote, ask them about their stand on Kashmir. “If they don’t support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, tell them they will not have your vote,” said Zafar Bangash, Convener of the Friends of Kashmir Canada and one of the principal organizers of the rally. Ken Stone reminded rally participants that it was a retired Canadian general, Andrew MacNaughton who was instrumental in formulating the earlier Security Council resolutions. “Canada, therefore, has a moral and legal responsibility to fulfill its obligations in implementing the resolutions that it drafted.” Sid Ryan, the former Labor leader and now an accomplished author, called upon people to unite for justice and peace causes whether these relate to Kashmir or Palestine. Human Rights Lawyer Stephen Ellis said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be investigated for war crimes, a sentiment echoed by another lawyer, Jatinder Singh, who is with the group, Sikhs for Justice. A number of young Kashmiri students among them Salma Khawaja, Khaoula Siddiqi, Shaheen Siddiqui, Ayesha Malik (not her real name because her parents are still in Srinagar and she managed to get out of there with the help of the Canadian High Commission staff in Delhi) and Mueen Hakak also spoke narrating passionate accounts of the suffering of the Kashmir people. There were also a number of speakers from the Sikh community that came to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Rally organizers vowed that the struggle for the rights of the Kashmiris will continue until they achieve their legitimate aspirations to hold a referendum as contained in a number of UN Security Council resolutions. COMPLETE PICTORIAL COVERAGE of Kashmir Solidarity Rally, City Hall Toronto Canada, 18th August 2019. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjmTHmEScDtdueSJ8

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Canadians pack Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir Sunday August 18 (Toronto) – thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life and belonging to all faiths attended. They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths. Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. At its peak the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence day celebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held. Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers. The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged although organizers repeatedly reminded people to ignore Indian vendors peddling their wares. Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but also included such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, former President Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famous Taylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just Peace Advocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis. Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN Security Council resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadian government to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem of Kashmir. Several speakers also highlighted the fact that with federal elections due in October, the question of Kashmir should be made a part of the election campaign. Rally participants were told that when candidates come knocking at your door seeking your vote, ask them about their stand on Kashmir. “If they don’t support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, tell them they will not have your vote,” said Zafar Bangash, Convener of the Friends of Kashmir Canada and one of the principal organizers of the rally. Ken Stone reminded rally participants that it was a retired Canadian general, Andrew MacNaughton who was instrumental in formulating the earlier Security Council resolutions. “Canada, therefore, has a moral and legal responsibility to fulfill its obligations in implementing the resolutions that it drafted.” Sid Ryan, the former Labor leader and now an accomplished author, called upon people to unite for justice and peace causes whether these relate to Kashmir or Palestine. Human Rights Lawyer Stephen Ellis said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be investigated for war crimes, a sentiment echoed by another lawyer, Jatinder Singh, who is with the group, Sikhs for Justice. A number of young Kashmiri students among them Salma Khawaja, Khaoula Siddiqi, Shaheen Siddiqui, Ayesha Malik (not her real name because her parents are still in Srinagar and she managed to get out of there with the help of the Canadian High Commission staff in Delhi) and Mueen Hakak also spoke narrating passionate accounts of the suffering of the Kashmir people. There were also a number of speakers from the Sikh community that came to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Rally organizers vowed that the struggle for the rights of the Kashmiris will continue until they achieve their legitimate aspirations to hold a referendum as contained in a number of UN Security Council resolutions. COMPLETE PICTORIAL COVERAGE of Kashmir Solidarity Rally, City Hall Toronto Canada, 18th August 2019. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjmTHmEScDtdueSJ8

Description:

Canadians pack Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir Sunday August 18 (Toronto) – thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life and belonging to all faiths attended. They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths. Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. At its peak the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence day celebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held. Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers. The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged although organizers repeatedly reminded people to ignore Indian vendors peddling their wares. Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but also included such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, former President Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famous Taylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just Peace Advocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis. Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN Security Council resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadian government to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem of Kashmir. Several speakers also highlighted the fact that with federal elections due in October, the question of Kashmir should be made a part of the election campaign. Rally participants were told that when candidates come knocking at your door seeking your vote, ask them about their stand on Kashmir. “If they don’t support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, tell them they will not have your vote,” said Zafar Bangash, Convener of the Friends of Kashmir Canada and one of the principal organizers of the rally. Ken Stone reminded rally participants that it was a retired Canadian general, Andrew MacNaughton who was instrumental in formulating the earlier Security Council resolutions. “Canada, therefore, has a moral and legal responsibility to fulfill its obligations in implementing the resolutions that it drafted.” Sid Ryan, the former Labor leader and now an accomplished author, called upon people to unite for justice and peace causes whether these relate to Kashmir or Palestine. Human Rights Lawyer Stephen Ellis said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be investigated for war crimes, a sentiment echoed by another lawyer, Jatinder Singh, who is with the group, Sikhs for Justice. A number of young Kashmiri students among them Salma Khawaja, Khaoula Siddiqi, Shaheen Siddiqui, Ayesha Malik (not her real name because her parents are still in Srinagar and she managed to get out of there with the help of the Canadian High Commission staff in Delhi) and Mueen Hakak also spoke narrating passionate accounts of the suffering of the Kashmir people. There were also a number of speakers from the Sikh community that came to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Rally organizers vowed that the struggle for the rights of the Kashmiris will continue until they achieve their legitimate aspirations to hold a referendum as contained in a number of UN Security Council resolutions. COMPLETE PICTORIAL COVERAGE of Kashmir Solidarity Rally, City Hall Toronto Canada, 18th August 2019. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjmTHmEScDtdueSJ8

Description:

Canadians pack Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir Sunday August 18 (Toronto) – thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life and belonging to all faiths attended. They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths. Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. At its peak the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence day celebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held. Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers. The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged although organizers repeatedly reminded people to ignore Indian vendors peddling their wares. Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but also included such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, former President Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famous Taylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just Peace Advocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis. Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN Security Council resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadian government to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem of Kashmir. Several speakers also highlighted the fact that with federal elections due in October, the question of Kashmir should be made a part of the election campaign. Rally participants were told that when candidates come knocking at your door seeking your vote, ask them about their stand on Kashmir. “If they don’t support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, tell them they will not have your vote,” said Zafar Bangash, Convener of the Friends of Kashmir Canada and one of the principal organizers of the rally. Ken Stone reminded rally participants that it was a retired Canadian general, Andrew MacNaughton who was instrumental in formulating the earlier Security Council resolutions. “Canada, therefore, has a moral and legal responsibility to fulfill its obligations in implementing the resolutions that it drafted.” Sid Ryan, the former Labor leader and now an accomplished author, called upon people to unite for justice and peace causes whether these relate to Kashmir or Palestine. Human Rights Lawyer Stephen Ellis said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be investigated for war crimes, a sentiment echoed by another lawyer, Jatinder Singh, who is with the group, Sikhs for Justice. A number of young Kashmiri students among them Salma Khawaja, Khaoula Siddiqi, Shaheen Siddiqui, Ayesha Malik (not her real name because her parents are still in Srinagar and she managed to get out of there with the help of the Canadian High Commission staff in Delhi) and Mueen Hakak also spoke narrating passionate accounts of the suffering of the Kashmir people. There were also a number of speakers from the Sikh community that came to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Rally organizers vowed that the struggle for the rights of the Kashmiris will continue until they achieve their legitimate aspirations to hold a referendum as contained in a number of UN Security Council resolutions. COMPLETE PICTORIAL COVERAGE of Kashmir Solidarity Rally, City Hall Toronto Canada, 18th August 2019. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjmTHmEScDtdueSJ8

Description:

Canadians pack Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir Sunday August 18 (Toronto) – thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life and belonging to all faiths attended. They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths. Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. At its peak the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence day celebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held. Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers. The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged although organizers repeatedly reminded people to ignore Indian vendors peddling their wares. Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but also included such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, former President Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famous Taylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just Peace Advocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis. Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN Security Council resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadian government to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem of Kashmir. Several speakers also highlighted the fact that with federal elections due in October, the question of Kashmir should be made a part of the election campaign. Rally participants were told that when candidates come knocking at your door seeking your vote, ask them about their stand on Kashmir. “If they don’t support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, tell them they will not have your vote,” said Zafar Bangash, Convener of the Friends of Kashmir Canada and one of the principal organizers of the rally. Ken Stone reminded rally participants that it was a retired Canadian general, Andrew MacNaughton who was instrumental in formulating the earlier Security Council resolutions. “Canada, therefore, has a moral and legal responsibility to fulfill its obligations in implementing the resolutions that it drafted.” Sid Ryan, the former Labor leader and now an accomplished author, called upon people to unite for justice and peace causes whether these relate to Kashmir or Palestine. Human Rights Lawyer Stephen Ellis said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be investigated for war crimes, a sentiment echoed by another lawyer, Jatinder Singh, who is with the group, Sikhs for Justice. A number of young Kashmiri students among them Salma Khawaja, Khaoula Siddiqi, Shaheen Siddiqui, Ayesha Malik (not her real name because her parents are still in Srinagar and she managed to get out of there with the help of the Canadian High Commission staff in Delhi) and Mueen Hakak also spoke narrating passionate accounts of the suffering of the Kashmir people. There were also a number of speakers from the Sikh community that came to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Rally organizers vowed that the struggle for the rights of the Kashmiris will continue until they achieve their legitimate aspirations to hold a referendum as contained in a number of UN Security Council resolutions. COMPLETE PICTORIAL COVERAGE of Kashmir Solidarity Rally, City Hall Toronto Canada, 18th August 2019. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjmTHmEScDtdueSJ8

Description:

Canadians pack Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Kashmir Sunday August 18 (Toronto) – thousands of Canadians packed Toronto’s iconic Nathan Philip Square in Toronto to raise their voices in support of the oppressed people of Kashmir. Organized by Friends of Kashmir Canada, people from all walks of life and belonging to all faiths attended. They included Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and people of other faiths. Young and old, children as well as people in wheelchairs were there to lend support to their Kashmiri brothers and sisters. At its peak the crowd was so large that it could not be accommodated in the square so people had to climb to the overhead walkway to watch the rally below. The rally was held to coincide with India’s independence day celebrations paid for the Indian Consulate in Toronto where an India Food Festival was also held. Realizing the size of the rally in support of the people of Kashmir, Indian consulate staff maintained a low profile and cancelled a number of events including a formal opening ceremony, settling for music blaring from their loudspeakers. The several dozen vendors peddling greasy Indian food were also subdued, preferring to adopt a low profile aware that the rally participants were highly charged although organizers repeatedly reminded people to ignore Indian vendors peddling their wares. Speakers were not just from the Kashmiri or Pakistani communities but also included such well-known Canadian society figures as Sid Ryan, former President Ontario Federation of Labor, Journalist Phil Taylor of the famous Taylor Report, Peace Activist Ken Stone, Karen Rodman of Just Peace Advocates and Human Rights Lawyer, Stephen Ellis. Framing it in the context of International law and based on UN Security Council resolutions, speakers repeatedly called upon the Canadian government to take a more forthright stand on the long-festering problem of Kashmir. Several speakers also highlighted the fact that with federal elections due in October, the question of Kashmir should be made a part of the election campaign. Rally participants were told that when candidates come knocking at your door seeking your vote, ask them about their stand on Kashmir. “If they don’t support the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, tell them they will not have your vote,” said Zafar Bangash, Convener of the Friends of Kashmir Canada and one of the principal organizers of the rally. Ken Stone reminded rally participants that it was a retired Canadian general, Andrew MacNaughton who was instrumental in formulating the earlier Security Council resolutions. “Canada, therefore, has a moral and legal responsibility to fulfill its obligations in implementing the resolutions that it drafted.” Sid Ryan, the former Labor leader and now an accomplished author, called upon people to unite for justice and peace causes whether these relate to Kashmir or Palestine. Human Rights Lawyer Stephen Ellis said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be investigated for war crimes, a sentiment echoed by another lawyer, Jatinder Singh, who is with the group, Sikhs for Justice. A number of young Kashmiri students among them Salma Khawaja, Khaoula Siddiqi, Shaheen Siddiqui, Ayesha Malik (not her real name because her parents are still in Srinagar and she managed to get out of there with the help of the Canadian High Commission staff in Delhi) and Mueen Hakak also spoke narrating passionate accounts of the suffering of the Kashmir people. There were also a number of speakers from the Sikh community that came to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. Rally organizers vowed that the struggle for the rights of the Kashmiris will continue until they achieve their legitimate aspirations to hold a referendum as contained in a number of UN Security Council resolutions. COMPLETE PICTORIAL COVERAGE of Kashmir Solidarity Rally, City Hall Toronto Canada, 18th August 2019. https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjmTHmEScDtdueSJ8

Description:

15th May 2008 Current News Outspoken British parliamentarian George Galloway says allegations that Iran is stoking the violence in Lebanon are unfounded. In an interview with Jordanian paper al-Ghad, Galloway rejected accusations that the recent unrest in Lebanon is 'the product of an Iranian conspiracy in a bid to dominate the region'. "I consider spraying the sand in the public eye is aimed at misrepresenting the vision of reality that leaders of Arab countries support the US and imperialist forces," he said. Galloway, a leading campaigner against the occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, was expelled from the Labor Party in October 2003 when his strong anti-war statements brought the party into 'disrepute'. The Respect Party parliamentarian went on to say that the Lebanese crisis has been conspired in a bid to weaken the country's resistance against Israel. Lebanon was teetering on the brink of civil war after the US-backed ruling coalition decided to sack Beirut's Airport Security Chief and ban Hezbollah's telecommunications network. http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=55755§ionid=351020203

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran’s Human Rights Record In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran. JUAN GONZALEZ: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, while the International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is meeting in Vienna to discuss Iran’s alleged nuclear program. An IAEA report earlier this month criticized Iran for failing to fully respond to questions about its nuclear activities. The European Union told the IAEA Wednesday that it believes Iran is moving closer to being able to arm a nuclear warhead. Iran could face a fourth set of Security Council sanctions over its nuclear activities, but this week Russia has refused to meet with the US on this issue. The Iranian president refuted the IAEA’s charges in his speech to the General Assembly and accused the agency of succumbing to political pressure. He also welcomed talks with the United States if it cuts back threats to use military force against Iran. AMY GOODMAN: As with every visit of the Iranian president to New York, some groups protested outside the United Nations. But this year, President Ahmadinejad also met with a large delegation of American peace activists concerned with the escalating possibility of war with Iran. Well, yesterday, just before their meeting, Juan Gonzalez and I sat down with the Iranian president at his hotel, blocks from the UN, for a wide-ranging discussion about US-Iran relations, Iran’s nuclear program, threat of war with the US, the Israel-Palestine conflict, human rights in Iran and much more. Today, part one of our interview with the Iranian president. AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, President Ahmadinejad. You’ve come to the United States. What is your message to people in the United States and to the world community at the UN? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] In the name of God, the compassion of the Merciful, the president started by reciting verses from the Holy Quran in Arabic. Hello. Hello to the people of America. The message from the nation and people of Iran is one of peace, tranquility and brotherhood. We believe that viable peace and security can happen when it is based on justice and piety and purity. Otherwise, no peace will occur. JUAN GONZALEZ: Mr. President, you’re faced now in Iran with American soldiers in Iraq to your west, with American soldiers and NATO troops to your east in Afghanistan, and with Blackwater, the notorious military contractor, training the military in Azerbaijan, another neighbor of yours. What is the effect on your country of this enormous presence of American forces around Iran and the impact of these wars on your own population? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] It’s quite natural that when there are wars around your borders, it brings about negative repercussions for the entire region. These days, insecurity cannot be bordered; it just extends beyond boundaries. In the past two years, we had several cases of bomb explosions in southern towns in Iran carried out by people who were supervised by the occupying forces in our neighborhood. And in Afghanistan, following the presence of NATO troops, the production of illicit drugs has multiplied. It’s natural that it basically places pressure on Iran, including costly ones in order to fight the flow of illicit drugs. We believe the people in the region are able to establish security themselves, on their own, so there is no need for foreigners and external forces, because these external forces have not helped the security of the region. AMY GOODMAN: Do you see them as a threat to you? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, it’s natural that when there is insecurity, it threatens everyone. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to turn for a moment to your domestic policies and law enforcement in your country. Human Rights Watch, which has often criticized the legal system in the United States, says that, under your presidency, there has been a great expansion in the scope and the number of individuals and activities persecuted by the government. They say that you’ve jailed teachers who are fighting for wages and better pensions, students and activists working for reform, and other labor leaders, like Mansour Ossanlou from the bus workers’ union. What is your response to these criticisms of your policies? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] I think that the human rights situation in Iran is relatively a good one, when compared to the United States and other countries. Of course, when we look at the ideals that are dear to us, we understand that we still need to do a lot, because we seek divine and religious ideals and revolutionary ones. But when we compare ourselves with some European countries and the United States, we feel we’re in a much better place. A large part of the information that these groups receive come from criticisms coming from groups that oppose the government. If you look at it, we have elections in Iran every year. And the propaganda is always around, too. But they’re not always true. Groups accuse one another. But within the region and compared to the United States, we have the smallest number of prisoners, because in Iran, in general, there is not so much inclination to imprison people. We’re actually looking at our existing laws right now to see how we can eliminate most prisons around the country. So, you can see that people in Iran like each other. They live coexistently and like the government, too. This news is more important to these groups, not so much for the Iranian people. You have to remember, we have over 70 million people in our country, and we have laws. Some people might violate it, and then, according to the law, the judiciary takes charge. And this happens everywhere. What really matters is that in the end there are the least amount of such violations of the law in Iran, the least number. So, I think the interpretation of these events is a wrong one. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran is actually a very close one. And criticizing the government is absolutely free for all. That’s exactly why everyone says what they want. There’s really no restrictions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that everything you hear is always true. And the government doesn’t really respond to it, either. It’s just free. JUAN GONZALEZ: Let me ask you in particular about the question of the execution of juveniles. My understanding is that Iran is one of only five or six nations in the world that still execute juveniles convicted of capital offenses and that you—by far, you execute the most. I think twenty-six of the last thirty-two juveniles executed in the world were executed in Iran. How is this a reflection of the—of a state guided by religious principles, to execute young people? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Firstly, nobody is executed under the age of eighteen in Iran. This is the first point. And then, please pay attention to the fact that the legal age in Iran is different from yours. It’s not eighteen and doesn’t have to be eighteen everywhere. So, it’s different in different countries. I’ll ask you, if a person who happens to be seventeen years old and nine months kills one of your relatives, will you just overlook that? AMY GOODMAN: We’ll continue our interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad after break. [break] AMY GOODMAN: We return to our interview with the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. JUAN GONZALEZ: I’d like to ask you, recently the Bush administration agreed to provide Israel with many new bunker buster bombs that people speculate might be used against Iran. Your reaction to this decision by the Bush administration? And do you—and there have been numerous reports in the American press of the Bush administration seeking to finance a secret war against Iran right now. PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, we actually think that the US administration and some other governments have equipped the Zionist regime with the nuclear warhead for those bombs, too. So, what are we to tell the American administration, a government that seeks a solution to all problems through war? Their logic is one of war. In the past twenty years, Americans’ military expenditures have multiplied. So I think the problem should be resolved somewhere else, meaning the people of America themselves must decide about their future. Do they like new wars to be waged in their names that kill nations or have their money spent on warfare? So I think that’s where the problem can be addressed. AMY GOODMAN: The investigative reporter Seymour Hersh said the Bush administration held a meeting in Vice President Cheney’s office to discuss ways to provoke a war with Iran. Hersh said it was considered possibly a meeting to stage an incident, that it would appear that Iranian boats had attacked US forces in the Straits of Hormuz. Do you have any evidence of this? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Well, you have to pay attention to find that a lot of this kind of stuff is published out there. There’s no need for us to react to it. Of course, Mr. Bush is very interested to start a new war. But he confronts two big barriers. One is the incapability in terms of maneuverability and operationally. Iran is a very big country, a very powerful country, very much capable of defending itself. The second barrier is the United States itself. We think there are enough wise people in this country to prevent the unreasonable actions by the administration. Even among the military commanders here, there are many people with wisdom who will stop a new war. I think the beginning or the starting a new war will mark the beginning of the end of the United States of America. Many people can understand that. But I also think that Mr. Bush’s administration is coming to an end. Mr. Bush still has one other chance to make up for the mistakes he did in the past. He has no time to add to those list of mistakes. He can only make up for them. And that’s a very good opportunity to have. So, I would advise him to take advantage of this opportunity, so that at least while you’re in power, you do a couple—few good acts, as well. It’s better than to end one’s work with a report card of failures and of abhorrent acts. We’re willing to help him in doing good. We’ll be very happy. AMY GOODMAN: And your nuclear program? PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: [translated] Our time seems to be over, but our nuclear program is peaceful. It’s very transparent for everyone to see. Your media is a progressive one. Let me just say a sentence here. I think that the time for the atomic bomb has reached an end. Don’t you feel that yourself? What will determine the future is culture, it’s the power of thought. Was the atomic bomb able to save the former Soviet Union from collapsing? Was it able to give victory to the Zionist regime of confronting the Palestinians? Was it able to resolve America’s or US problems in Iraq and Afghanistan? Naturally, its usage has come to an end. It’s very wrong to spend people’s money building new atomic bombs. This money should be spent on creating welfare, prosperity, health, education, employment, and as aid that should be distributed among others’ countries, to destroy the reasons for war and for insecurity and terrorism. Rest assured, whoever who seeks to have atomic bombs more and more is just politically backward. And those who have these arsenals and are busy making new generations of those bombs are even more backward. I think a disloyalty has occurred to the human community. Atomic energy power is a clean one. It’s a renewable one, and it is a positive [inaudible]. Up to this day, we’ve identified at least sixteen positive applications from it. We’re already aware that the extent to which we have used fossil fuels has imbalanced the climate of the world, brought about a lot of pollution, as well as a lot of diseases, as a result. So what’s wrong with all countries having peaceful nuclear power and enjoying the benefits of this energy? It’s actually a power that is constructively environmental. All those nuclear powers have come and said, well, having nuclear energy is the equivalent of having an atomic bomb pretty much—just a big lie. AMY GOODMAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tomorrow, part two of our conversation. But right now, we’re joined by Ervand Abrahamian. He’s an Iran expert, CUNY Distinguished Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York, author of a number of books, most recently, A History of Modern Iran. Welcome to Democracy Now! Can you talk about both what the Iranian president said here and his overall trip? Was it a different message this year? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: No, it’s very much the same complacency, that, you know, everything’s fine. There may be some problems in Iran and in foreign relations, but overall, Iran is confident and is—basically the mantra of the administration in Iran is that no one in their right senses would think of attacking Iran. And I think the Iranian government’s whole policy is based on that. I wish I was as confident as Ahmadinejad is. JUAN GONZALEZ: And his dismissing of the situation, the human rights situation, in Iran, basically ascribing any arrests to some lawbreakers? Your sense of what is the human rights situation right there? ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Well, I mean, he basically changed the question and talked about, you know, the probably two million prisoners in America, which is of course true, but it certainly changes the topic of the discussion. Now, in Iran, you can be imprisoned for the talking of abolishing capital punishment. In fact, that’s considered blasphemy, and academics have been charged with capital offense for actually questioning capital punishment. So, he doesn’t really want to address those issues. And there have been major purges in the university recently, and of course the plight of the newspapers is very dramatic. I mean, mass newspapers have been closed down. Editors have been brought before courts, and so on. So, I would find that the human rights situation—I would agree with the Human Rights Watch, that things are bad. But I would like to stress that human rights organizations in Iran don’t want that issue involved with the US-Iran relations, because every time the US steps in and tries to champion a question of human rights, I think that backfires in Iran, because most Iranians know the history of US involvement in Iran, and they feel it’s hypocrisy when the Bush administration talks about human rights. So they would like to distance themselves. And Shirin Ebadi, of course, the Nobel Peace Prize, has made it quite clear that she doesn’t want this championing by the United States of the human rights issue. AMY GOODMAN: Big protest outside. The Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the Israel Project, UJ Federation of New York, United Jewish Communities protested. They invited Hillary Clinton. She was going to speak. But they invited—then they invited Governor Palin, and so then Clinton pulled out, so they had had to disinvite Palin. And then you had the peace movement inside, meeting with Ahmadinejad. ERVAND ABRAHAMIAN: Yes, I think—I mean, the demonstrations outside are basically pushing for some sort of air strikes on the premise that Iran is an imminent threat and trying to build up that sort of pressure on the administration. And clearly, I think the Obama administration would not want to do that, but they would probably have a fair good hearing in the—if there was a McCain administration. AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to leave it there. Part two of our conversation tomorrow. We talk about the Israel-Palestine issue, we talk about the treatment of gay men and lesbians in Iran, and we talk about how the Iraq war has affected Iran with the Iranian president President Ahmadinejad was interviewed recently in New York by Democracy Now

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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

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