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  • Ahmadinejad Watch

    "Ahmadinejad welcomes Obama change"

    (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated U.S. President-elect Barack Obama -- the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a U.S. president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

    One analyst said the welcome was a gesture from the hard-line president that he is open to a more conciliatory relationship with the U.S.

    Ahmadinejad said Tehran "welcomes basic and fair changes in U.S. policies and conducts," according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency on Thursday.

    Relations between the United States and Iran have historically been chilly, and have been further strained in recent years over Iran's nuclear program.

    Tehran insists the program exists for peaceful purposes, but the United States and other Western nations are concerned by Iran's refusal to halt uranium enrichment activities.

    "I hope you will prefer real public interests and justice to the never-ending demands of a selfish minority and seize the opportunity to serve people so that you will be remembered with high esteem," Ahmadinejad told Obama in his statement, IRNA said.

    "The Americans who have spiritual tendencies expect the government to spend all its power in line with serving the people, rectify the critical situation facing the U.S., restore lost reputation as well as their hope and spirit, fully respect human rights and strengthen family foundations.

    "Other nations also expect war-oriented policies, occupation, bullying, contempt of nations and imposing discriminatory policies on them to be replaced by the ones advocating justice, respect for human rights, friendship and non-interference in other countries' internal affairs," Ahmadinejad said.

    "They also want U.S. intervention to be limited to its borders, especially in the Middle East. It is highly expected to reverse the unfair attitude toward restoring the rights of the Palestinians, Iraqis and Afghans. The great nation of Iran welcomes basic and fair changes in U.S. policies and conducts, especially in the region."

    Saeed Leilaz, an independent analyst in Tehran, told The Associated Press that Ahmadinejad's message was a "positive step" that now leaves Washington with the responsibility for the next one.

    Leilaz added he believes Obama's victory will "weaken radicalism" in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

    On Wednesday, Iran's first official reaction to Obama's victory was cautious optimism, praising the end of what it termed "Bush's defeated policies."

    It added that Obama "can play an important role in future relations between the U.S. and Asia and the Middle East."

    CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour says that in the U.S., many former secretaries of state and other officials also believe in playing that role.

    They say an Obama administration should explore the possibility of engaging with Iran and even restoring diplomatic relations as a way to help solve challenges such as Iran's nuclear program and its role in regional power politics in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East peace process.

    Asked in a July debate whether he would meet leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea separately and without precondition during the first year of his administration, Obama said, "I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -- is ridiculous."

    In September, Obama said: "Ahmadinejad is not the most powerful person in Iran. He may not be the right person to talk to. But I reserve the right, as president of the United States, to meet with anybody at a time and place of my choosing if I think it's going to keep America safe.
    http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/me...ef=mpstoryview
    "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

  • #2
    Conservatives in Iran Back Ahmadinejad

    TEHRAN — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad received praise from Iran’s reformist politicians and withering criticism from its conservatives after he sent Barack Obama a letter last week congratulating him on winning the American presidential race.

    But in a sign that conservatives fear their attacks might inadvertently strengthen a possible reformist candidate in Iran’s own presidential vote in June, their criticism has quickly shifted to early support for Mr. Ahmadinejad’s re-election.

    The potential opponent is former President Mohammad Khatami. He has not announced his candidacy, but is under pressure from his political allies to run.

    On Friday, Mr. Obama offered a public reaction to the letter in his first postelection news conference, saying that he would review it and respond appropriately. But he also said “Iran’s support of terrorist organizations, I think, is something that has to cease” and its suspected development of nuclear weapons was not acceptable.

    On Saturday, reformist politicians offered praise for Mr. Ahmadinejad’s outreach. The letter “presented a humane, reasonable and peace-seeking image of Iran,” according to the daily newspaper Etemad.

    But conservative members of Parliament and newspapers began their attacks.

    The Jomhuri Islami newspaper, in an editorial, said that initiating contact with the United States was among the responsibilities of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme religious leader, and not of Mr. Ahmadinejad. Relations ruptured in 1979, after the Islamic Revolution in February and the takeover of the American Embassy in Tehran by students in November.

    The speaker of Parliament, Ali Larijani, referred to Mr. Obama’s noncommittal response and said the United States “was not moving in the right direction” for improving relations.

    Ahmad Tavakoli, a conservative member of Parliament, released a public letter, saying Mr. Ahmadinejad’s unilateral efforts had been met with “arrogant responses” and did not serve the country’s dignity.

    But by Sunday, the criticism had evaporated, and some conservative politicians had begun to condone the letter.

    Another conservative member of Parliament, Mehdi Koochakzadeh, said Sunday night that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s letter was “for the expedience of the regime and with the approval of the supreme leader,” according to the Web site Alef, which is run by Mr. Tavakoli.

    In addition, an editorial in Kayhan, a leading conservative daily, said Mr. Ahmadinejad was the “most qualified candidate” for the presidential race despite the criticisms of him. It argued that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s achievements were more significant than his failures.

    Mr. Ahmadinejad is popular in smaller towns and villages, where he has distributed financial aid. In contrast, Mr. Khatami would be expected to draw support from large cities.

    One analyst suggested that the conservatives were trying to get the reformists to choose a different candidate.

    “Maybe the conservatives are signaling to reformers that if they go after Mr. Khatami, they would get unified behind Mr. Ahmadinejad despite their differences with him,” said Badr-al-sadat Mofidi, the deputy editor of the reformist daily Kargozaran. “The unity among conservatives can change if the reformers do not nominate Mr. Khatami,” she added.

    In what appears to be another signal of easing pressures on Mr. Ahmadinejad, several members of Parliament have indicated that they will vote for his nominee to fill the post of interior minister. Parliament fired Interior Minister Ali Kordan last week for lying about a fake honorary doctorate he said he had received from Oxford University.

    The nominee, Sadeq Mahsouli, is a close ally of Mr. Ahmadinejad. But the previous Parliament — which was more closely aligned with the president — rejected Mr. Mahsouli’s candidacy for the post of oil minister after doubts were raised about the source of his vast fortune.

    Mr. Ahmadinejad is suffering politically from the damage to Iran’s economy caused by high inflation and a sharp drop in oil prices. Sixty economists warned in a public letter to the president that his hostile attitude to the rest of the world was causing lost trade and investment for the country, newspapers reported Saturday.

    The letter criticized the government for spending too much of the oil revenues and for its policies that the economists said had deprived the country of foreign investment.

    It said that the United Nations Security Council sanctions over Iran’s refusal to suspend uranium enrichment activities had cost the country billions of dollars.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/wo...11iran.html?em
    "Every man has his weakness. Mine was always just cigarettes."

    Comment


    • #3
      Mr. Ahmadinejad is suffering politically from the damage to Iran’s economy caused by high inflation and a sharp drop in oil prices. Sixty economists warned in a public letter to the president that his hostile attitude to the rest of the world was causing lost trade and investment for the country, newspapers reported Saturday.

      The letter criticized the government for spending too much of the oil revenues and for its policies that the economists said had deprived the country of foreign investment.

      It said that the United Nations Security Council sanctions over Iran’s refusal to suspend uranium enrichment activities had cost the country billions of dollars.


      Hey somebody finally woke up!
      Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Dreadnought View Post

        Hey somebody finally woke up!
        Dont read too much into it. India has a lot of these type of characters. Most are foreign funded. They come up with beautiful names like, Human society for freedom/secularism etc etc and each of them establishes 20-30 "societies" and then submit the memorandoms/letter to whoever sundry.

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