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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Iranian Ayatollah: We Can Negotiate Openly, and Maintain Relations, With America |
| 2006-03-17 |
| From MEMRI Interesting new take from Tabrizi. In an interview for the reformist Iranian online daily Rooz (www.roozonline.com ), Hossein Mousavi-Tabrizi, secretary of the Qom Seminaries Association of Researchers and Instructors, criticized the nuclear and economic policies of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Ayatollah Mousavi-Tabrizi called for Iran to talk, conduct open negotiations, and renew relations with the U.S. The following are the highlights of his statements. [1] "The Way We're Going, We're Causing a World Consensus Against Us" Rooz: "What do you think will be Iran's most important problems in the new year?" [2] Ayatollah Tabrizi: "The most important problem will be the nuclear energy issue. We ask God for our senior officials to act so that this problem will be solved at the lowest possible cost, and so that there will be no additional problems for the people... "The second problem that seems very important is Iran's economic problems. In my opinion, planning must be such that no inflation or economic stagnation problem is created in the country..." Rooz: "Does the political problem, which is the nuclear energy [issue], affect the economic problem?" Ayatollah Tabrizi: "Certainly, the influence is great. But in light of the planning that was done, I feel that the budget was prepared in such a way that it will cause inflation and a rise in prices." Rooz: "Is there a way to resolve the nuclear issue peacefully?" Ayatollah Tabrizi: "In my opinion, there was and is a solution. But right now the situation is more difficult. These problems could have been solved in a better way. One of the best ways is for us to reduce the political tension in the world. We cannot solve our problem by creating additional tension; the way we're going, we are causing the creation of a world consensus against us. "The most important task of the previous government [and the] previous Supreme National Security Council [as headed by Hassan Rohani] was to prevent the creation of a consensus against us, and they succeeded at this. But, most unfortunately, today America is advancing in the direction of creating a consensus against us..." "The [Iranian] People Have Not Sworn to Cooperate [With the Regime] Forever" Rooz: "Is it appropriate for us to talk with America too, under the present conditions?" Ayatollah Tabrizi: "Yes, indeed. What is the problem? Negotiations do not mean dependence. Are the other countries that are negotiating with America dependent upon it? First, negotiations do not mean relations. Second, relations do not mean dependence. Right now, we maintain that Syria is not dependent upon America, but at the same time, the two countries are conducting negotiations and contacts, and maintaining ambassadors and embassies. We too can conduct negotiations, even open [negotiations], and also have contacts [with the U.S.] - as happened many times [between the U.S. and Iran] in the matter of Afghanistan and Iraq. There was a need for them to sit and talk because there were issues that required discussion. [The countries] can talk now, too." Rooz: "What does Iran stand to gain in conducting negotiations with America under the present conditions?" Ayatollah Tabrizi: "I don't know what the gain is, but I know that wherever they would have an effect, negotiations must be conducted with all the countries." Rooz: "What do you think will be the reaction of the [Iranian] people, in light of the problems that they face, primarily in the economic sphere?" Ayatollah Tabrizi: "If the people see honesty and integrity on the part of those in charge [of the regime], and know that they are interested in their welfare, and that the enemy is the one who is creating the problems, they will bear the burden. But if, heaven forbid, the people feel that the senior officials are not honest and have no integrity, lied to them, or did not show a serious effort to solve the problems, of course problems will then be created. After all, the people have not sworn an oath to cooperate forever." Now I ask myself if this is a light at the end of a tunnel? Or just an oncoming train? |
| Posted by:Thinemp Whimble2412 |
| #7 Yet another member of the Rantburg FFW*. Well written! * Future Famous Writers, of course! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-03-17 22:34 |
| #6 Excellent indeed! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-03-17 20:23 |
| #5 [golf clap] |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-03-17 20:19 |
| #4 Total taqiya, of course. ### CNN News ### ### April 1, 2006 18:00 GMT ### ### Christiane Amapour reporting from Qom ### "Grand Ayatollah Khomeini, Sala'am a likum. We would like you to characterize the current situation with the evil West. Would you please honor us with your views?" "Of course, dog. Cover your face first - this is not a debased infidel fashion show." "See how we make the Great Satan and the Little Satans jump through our bejeweled hoops of dhimmitude? Is it not fun to see?" "We can turn this negotiation silliness into a switch of the light - turn it to ON to slow the infidels down, then to OFF again to bank the fires of jihad. It is no trouble to do this for us. We are the Masters of Foreign Policy and now the Masters of Diplomacy. Allahu ackbar." "Watch, we will have our infidel Chinese friends play for us in the evil UNSC, insha'allah. What would you like to see? A month? This is no problem for us. Watch..." "Yes, we have become the masters of infidel games. They dance as our puppets. Soon we shall rain fiery death upon them, each in their turn. First will be the evil Jooos, then the Western lackeys and some Little Satans who have not shown us proper respect, then we shall burn the Great Satan's eyes out with the magic of the glowing stones. We will..." *tremendous sound of multiple peals of cracking thunder* "What is that? What is happening? The Grand Moskkk is gone! The Bad-I-Sad-O-Bist-Roz* comes! It is impossible - it is too early! Why does it glow red? Allah save..." *crackle* ### End Transmission ### * - literally the wind of 120 days - often generating huge duststorms, begins in June in Iran |
| Posted by: Threrong Sholet2426 2006-03-17 19:16 |
| #3 I know that. You know that. but the EU, Russia et al. are going to eat this up. And screw things up. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-03-17 19:08 |
| #2 Iranian Ayatollah: We Can Negotiate Openly, and Maintain Relations, With America Yeah, and every Saturday night, monkeys fly outta my butt. If the communist Chinese offer is read correctly, Iran is stalling for the last few weeks they need to complete a functioning device. Bomb them now. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-03-17 18:53 |
| #1 Incoming train with a forward cluebat. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2006-03-17 18:47 |