President Ahmadinejad of Iran visited New York in the third week of September, to attend UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit and 65th Annual General Assembly. In his address to MDGs Summit and in his interaction with American journalists, the President expressed his desire for negotiations with the U.S. to resolve all outstanding issues, including the nuclear dispute. He told the journalists that the only path forward for the two nations was one of “dialogue based on respect and justice.”
Farnaz Fassihi from New York in his report published in the Wall Street Journal (Sep 23, 2010), underlined that the President’s “comments lacked the usual fervour and mockery, instead he appeared mild in manner and tone.” This welcome shift of his tone though disappeared when he chose to speak some plain truth in the General Assembly, but was noticed in between and raised hopes for resolution of differences. The de-escalated tone, which has a stronger appeal, may be a reflection of his new found friends Abdullah Gul and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.
Ahmadinejad is blamed for his hostile attitude towards America and the west. This may not be true as American and western hostility against the Islamic Republic is not new. It has its roots in historic regime change after downfall of monarchy in 1979 and establishment of the democratic system there. Till the ouster of Reza Shah Pahlavi, in an unparallel people’s revolution under the guidance of Ayatollah Roohullah Khomeini, Iran was considered closest ally of America and protector of western interest in the region. The Islamic regime refused to cow down against US “bossism” and pitched at for bilateral relations between two Sovereign Nations on the basis of equality and justice and non-interference in internal matters as well as in relations with third countries.
Another factor that irks the West and the US is Islamic character of Iranian Republic. One can differ with certain policies of Iran especially in minority matters, but essentially the country presents the face of a Modern Islamic State with democratic features. All efforts of the US and most of the West are directed to destabilise the Islamic Regime by adverse publicity and by inflicting blows to her economy.
During the Bush regime, America picked up a quarrel with Iran for pursuing research in nuclear science. Zionist Israel and USA launched an offensive alleging Iran is pursuing a process to develop nuclear arms. Interestingly, IAEA has found no concrete evidence to support the allegation and Iran has repeatedly denied it and said though Iran has a right to develop nuclear arms however its nuclear research is for peaceful purposes.
Iran has again dismissed the allegation as recently as on Wednesday, Sep 22, 2010. President Ahmadinejad in an interview to Lorry Kings of CNN stressed, “We have no interest in [a nuclear bomb] and we do not think that it is useful.” He said no one is concerned about Iran’s intentions other than “the Zionist regime and some American authorities.” “We are not seeking the bomb,” Ahmadinejad said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has also expressed optimism and told his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi during a meeting on the sidelines of UN meeting that talks can succeed provided they are fair and that “Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear energy is recognised”. His comments came after the five UN Security Council permanent members and Germany said they hoped for an early negotiated solution to the dispute.
The US Secretary of State met the foreign ministers of Britain, China, France, Russia and Germany (the group known as P5+1) and they urged Iran to return to the negotiating table. In a statement the Group said: “Our objective continues to be a comprehensive long-term negotiated solution which restores international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.”
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, heading for a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, said: “Now is the time for Iran to engage in real negotiation, in actual constructive dialogue.”
These diplomatic efforts are significant as several reports suggest that sanctions imposed by UN against Iran on the insistence of the US and even harsher by EU have failed to yield desired results. Instead they are hitting hard their own economic interests. These sanctions have become a windfall for China and Turkey which are trying to fill the space created by EU and extending their economic activities in the oil rich country without any competition.
In his address to U.N., U.S. President Obama has also refrained from using harsh language. The Boston Globe reported on Sep 24, that “the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme was little more than a footnote in President Barak Obama’s wide-ranging, 35-minute speech before the United Nations yesterday.” He said, “The door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it, but the Iranian government must demonstrate a clear and credible commitment, and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear programme.” The paper also reported, “But behind the scenes, U.S. and Iranian officials appeared to be engaging in preliminary efforts to reopen talks to resolve what many consider the greatest global threat: a nuclear-armed Iran.”
Turkey, now a strong world voice, has also questioned the effectiveness of sanctions as a tool to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. In an interview to The Wall Street Journal, on Sep 20, 2010, President Abdullah Gul stressed the need for negotiated settlement and said Turkey is determined to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and is pushing for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear standoff. He said Turkey “is engaged in very active cooperation both visible and invisible” with the U.S. and others in an effort to reach a deal that would prevent Iran from developing an atomic arsenal.” Mr. Gul said Turkey would adhere to sanctions imposed by the U.N. on Iran. But, he said, punitive economic measures against Iran are “not productive.” In general, he said, such steps risk breeding “hatred and hostility among the people.”
It is worth mentioning that in May 2010 Ankara worked on a deal under which Iran agreed to ship 1200kg low enriched uranium to Turkey. In return, Iran was to receive 120kg of more highly enriched uranium (20%) – the purity well below that used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons – within a year. This will be used as reactor fuel and medical isotopes. U.S. and His European allies refused to satisfy by the proposal and ultimate in June, get the U.N. Security Council imposed new economic sanctions. Turkey and Brazil voted against the move.
Fresh diplomatic efforts may lead to break the impasse. However Zionist interests worldwide are real hurdle in the path of peace. Zionist forces have deep roots in world economy and may cripple a government or eliminate the persons who do not fall in their line. It may be noted that the Jews played a role in downfall of the Ottoman Empire and in reward were gifted a homeland in the heart of Palestine by the U.K. and other allies.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hit hard on Zionists and told the UN that the past decade was “unfortunately marred by war, occupation, carnage, wandering and intimidation.” The Iranian leader said: “This regime (Israel), which enjoys the absolute support of some Western countries, regularly threatens the countries in the region and continues publicly announced assassination of Palestinian figures and others, while Palestinian defenders… are labelled as terrorists and anti-Semites,” he said.
“All values, even the freedom of expression, in Europe and the United States are being sacrificed at the altar of Zionism,” Ahmadinejad said. He also reminded the world that there was a theory that “some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the 9/11 attack to reverse the declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East, in order also to save the Zionist regime.” Though Mr. Ahmadinejad comments sparked a U.S. delegation-led Western walkout in the UN General Assembly, but ironically what he said, is agreed by a large population around the world, especially the Muslim world.
“The majority of the American people as well as other nations and politicians agree with this view,” he added. He urged the UN to carry out an investigation that would determine what happened on 9/11.
Some three thousand persons were killed in 9/11 attack which was used by the Bush regime as pretext to start wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as bullying Iran about its nuclear programme while maintaining its own nuclear weapons and defending Israel’s nuclear arsenal. It may be noted that more than two thousand collation soldiers have died in Afghanistan and more than 4,500 in Iraq, while more than one million civilians are killed. Severely injured and permanently disabled causalities are not included.
Warren P. Strobel reported from UN in McClatchy Newspaper, “President Barack Obama denounced his remarks as “hateful” and “offensive” in an interview Friday (Sep 24) with BBC’s Persian news service. Obama’s denunciation was seconded by Britain’s deputy prime minister, usually mild-mannered U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others.
Stobel further said, “Behind the furore, there were tentative signs of progress on the standoff…. At a news conference Friday, the Iranian leader said Iran’s negotiators might be willing to meet next month to revive stalled talks. He also again promised that Iran would halt enrichment if given uranium to fuel a civilian research reactor in Tehran.”
This gives hope. There are some more reasons to be optimistic. President Obama wants to pull out from Afghanistan, and he needs strategic support of Iran to come out of the mess created by the Bush regime, which has devastated American economy. Dealing with Iran may also give leverage to the US administration against belligerent Israel. The Zionist state is refusing to listen to US advice to solve Palestinian dispute. It seems that President Obama is determined to mend States’ relations with the Muslim world which have touched the lowest level due to Iraq and Afghanistan war and Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.
[The writer is General Secretary of Forum for Civil Rights. [email protected]]