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India-Pakistan | |
Western states refuse to congratulate Ahmadinejad | |
2009-08-05 | |
[Iran Press TV Latest] With hours left until the inauguration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the US president and some of his European counterparts join Germany in refusing to congratulate the Iranian official. US President Barack Obama on Tuesday clarified Washington's stance with regards to the disputed re-election of Ahmadinejad as Iran's president. "I don't have any reason to believe we will send any letter [to congratulate the Iranian president]," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, for his part, is set to snub President Ahmadinejad after he is inaugurated on Wednesday. "There is no plan to send any message," an official at the Elysee Palace told Reuters. In addition, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will not send a congratulatory message to Ahmadinejad, who, according to official election results, garnered almost two-thirds of the votes. "The prime minister will not be writing to congratulate Mr. Ahmadinejad," a spokesman said on Tuesday. The political brush-offs follow an earlier snub by Germany on Monday saying that Chancellor Angela Merkel will not send a customary congratulatory letter to the Iranian official. Merkel's spokesman Klaus Vater said on Monday that "In view of the circumstances of the controversial re-election, the chancellor will not, as usual, write the customary letter of congratulation" to the Iranian president.
Iranians across six continents have since staged numerous demonstrations in protest at the result of the vote, calling on different governments not to acknowledge Ahmadinejad as Iran's president. Iran's Guardian Council, the electoral watchdog, has disputed any allegation against the validity of the June 12 vote. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Monday formally endorsed Ahmadinejad's presidency. The president is due to be sworn in by the Iranian Parliament, Majlis, for a second term on Wednesday morning. | |
Posted by:Fred |
#3 "Piss off and die, Short Round." |
Posted by: mojo 2009-08-05 14:41 |
#2 Except for One. |
Posted by: swksvolFF 2009-08-05 13:02 |
#1 EU envoys to attend Ahmadinejad swearing-in |
Posted by: anonymous5089 2009-08-05 03:55 |