12 April 2009

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused Europe and the United States of condemning his country because Teheran "defends the rights of the Palestinian people," and not because his country allegedly supports terror or is pursuing a military nuclear program as they are claiming.

"Do you think it right that some European countries and the United States support the occupying regime and the unnatural Zionist entity, but condemn Iran, merely because we are defending the rights of the Palestinian people?" the Iranian leader was quoted as saying in interview with the German Der Spiegel published Saturday.

Ahmadinejad reportedly saod it was important to get to the root of the Middle East problem, which, he explained, was that Israel was "the result of World War II," a war that had nothing to do with the Palestinian people or with the Middle East region. "If one doesn't consider the causes, there can be no solution," he said.

The Iranian president stressed that Teheran was defending "more than the basic rights of oppressed Palestinians" and laid out an Iranian proposal for resolving the Middle East conflict, by allowing the Palestinians to determine their future "in a free referendum."

Regarding statements calling on Iran to stop supporting terror, Ahmadinejad denied that his country commits terror. "We do not commit terror, but we are victims of terror. Our faith forbids us from engaging in terrorism," he was quoted as saying.

The Iranian leader stressed his country was wrongly accused of pursuing a military nuclear ability. "We have no interest in building a nuclear weapon. We have sent the IAEA thousands of pages of reports and made thousands of hours of inspections possible. The IAEA cameras monitor our activities," he said. "Who is dangerous, and who should the inspectors distrust? Those who secretly build the bomb, or us, who are cooperating with the IAEA?" Ahmadinejad wondered.

The Iranian leader expressed his "mistrust" and "concern" with the UN, and stated that "were done fairly in the world, Iran would also have to be a member of the Security Council."

"We do not accept the notion that a handful of countries see themselves as the masters of the world. They should open their eyes and recognize real conditions," said Ahmadinejad.

When asked about the shift in American policy and US President Barack Obama's repeated statements on his commitment to dialogue with Iran, Ahamdinejad said he is "neither obstinate nor gullible" regarding the prospects of improving the relations between Washington and Teheran. While "we cannot expect to see problems that have arisen over more than half a century resolved in only a few days…solutions can be found" if steps were taken by the US to change the atmosphere, Ahmadinejad said. "Great things are happening in the United States," said the Iranian president, stressing that he expected "fundamental changes" on part of the Obama administration.

Ahmadinejad explained that he his country was waiting for Obama to announce his plans so that they could be analyzed.