Khamenei Says Iranians to 'Transfer Their Views' to Americans

Is Iran ready to sit down and negotiate with the United States? According to a sermon delivered on Tuesday by Iran's Supreme Leader, not exactly. In the sermon, reported on by State-controlled Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei said that Americans don't understand negotiation, so for the sake of Iraqis, Iran's leaders will merely 'transfer' their views to the American side. [Skip down about halfway for the section on the United States].

March 21, 2006

Iran - IRIB News - Original Article (English)    

Mashad: On Tuesday evening, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei, addressed thousands of pilgrims at the holy shrine of the eighth Shiite Imam, the revered Imam Reza [], in this northeastern city.

Taking measure of prospects for the nation and government in the new Iranian year of 1385, which has been named after the exalted Prophet, the Leader [Ali Khamenei] elaborated the Islamic System's positions on issues such as nuclear energy, technology, and the Security Council, as well as making certain comments on negotiations with the United States about Iraq, and adding that the nation and its statesmen will steadfastly guard their rights with resolve, hope, solidarity and a reliance on the Divine Graces.

At the beginning of the meeting, held in the grand Razavi courtyard in the holy shrine of Imam Ali-ibn Mousa al-Reza, the Leader said that it was conducive to spiritual development in the new year that Nowrouz [Iranian New Year] and the Arba'in [the mourning ceremony for the beheading of The Prohet's grandson, Imam Hussein ] have occurred simultaneously.

He also said that the Arba'in was the first manifestation of affection for the grave soil and tomb of the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussein [This holiday falls 40 days after the date of the beheading of Mohammad's Grandson, Imam Hussein, and was the first time people came to worship at Hussein's grave] and from the outset, this site was like a magnet. Even after long centuries, this place continues to attract the hearts of those who love the Prophet's household, as well as the hearts of all the world's free men, who seek salvation, dignity and pride.

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the blessed naming of 1385 after the exalted prophet of Islam, noting that the exalted prophet was the perfect personification of the virtues of all divine prophets and God's friends throughout history, and is the brightest galaxy in this global being, which has encompassed thousands of star systems and suns of virtue and magnanimity.

Discussing the characteristics of the exalted prophet, the leader of Islamic Revolution described knowledge coupled with morality, leadership with prudence, worship with service, Jihad with compassion, dignity with modesty, keeping abreast of time with farsightedness, and sincerity with political complexity.

Ayatollah Kahamenei described the heavy burden of responsibility for officials and for the people in the year of the Exalted Prophet, adding that all of history and all years belong to that unique being, but that the special naming [of the year 1385 for The Prophet] means that the Iranian nation and government has decided, in this year, to take a great stride toward a community and civilization which was envisioned by the holy prophet. This is to be a year of hope, work, service, and intelligent planning for the future.

Ayatollah Khamenei then turned to the general state of the country, and described the key feature of the incumbent administration [of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]  as its firm resolve to tirelessly serve the people. He said that the popularly-elected president and cabinet, by sticking to slogans of the revolution and the revered Imam Khomeini's thoughts, are striving to exhaust all methods for unraveling the knots that constrain the people. He said that the cabinet, besides returning the nation's infrastructure to the desired condition, should exert itself protecting national dignity and independence abroad.

Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the nation's considerable opportunities in different fields. He said that by the logic of the Islamic Republic of Iran, development and progress is meaningful only if coupled with justice, adding that the incumbent administration is determined to take a giant step in the great movement that began with the Islamic Revolution. The grand leader of the revolution described "innovation and production in the broadest sense" as the immediate need for the country, emphasizing that the key to the salvation of the nation is to produce "labor and goods," to produce "science and technology," to produce "wealth and the gnosis of God," and to produce "dignity and high-caliber people." He said that an effort in any of these fields is to struggle in the way of Allah.

Ayatollah Khamenei urged university students and professors to launch an extensive drive to seek knowledge and produce science and technology, noting that there must be a major drive for Iran to become a scientifically-driven country, and that the younger generation must link science to technology, technology to industry, and industry to the country's development.

The leader called every level of society to a general movement toward "progress and justice," saying that in the year of the Exalted Prophet, every Iranian national, wherever they reside and regardless of what they do, should take a stride forward, according to the logic and tenets of the Exalted Prophet of Islam. There will be no giving up, no fanaticism, and no frustration permitted. Rather, the heart of every Muslim is filled with Prophet-like hope.

SECTION DISCUSSING THE UNITED STATES

Ayatollah Khamenei then touched upon the attempts of the nation's enemies to torpedo Iran's bright and hopeful progress. He noted that American officials make many allegations about Iran, concerning human rights, democracy, atomic energy and terrorism, and discussed their aims. He said that the Iranian nation mustn't let the economic, political and cultural dominance of the United States be restored, and as in the Pahlavi era [], let the Americans take the reins by installing the country's administrators.

Elaborating on American methods to that effect, he touched on threats and intimidation, propaganda and psychological warfare, creating frustration people, sowing discord, inciting sectarian emotion, creating insecurity and doubt over the future, and finally forcing officials to give up though the process of attrition. "All of these methods and attempts will get nowhere, due to the vigilance of the nation and its administration."

The leader of revolution downplayed U.S. threats to impose sanctions on the Iranian nation, and asked why they threaten the Iranian nation with sanctions, while it already has some sanctions in place. "Our nation has achieved all of its scientific, medical, military and industrial progress while already having sanctions imposed, so don't bother trying to blackmail us with sanctions," he advised American officials.

Recalling the contempt of the world's nations for the U.S. government, especially the Islamic ummah [community], Ayatollah Khamenei rejected the claims of American officials that Iran is isolated. "In order to determine which one, Iran or America, is isolated, we suggest exposing the truth by holding a plebiscite across the Islamic world to appraise the ratings of the Iranian president and the American president," he said, daring America's rulers take the suggestion, but to prepare for the humiliating results.

Ayatollah Khamenei described the allegations on Iran's violation of human rights as funniest joke of our times, adding that an America of Hiroshima, an America of Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, and an America of censorship and tyranny, calls itself the flag-bearer of human rights. He suggested a global plebiscite to expose the truth and prove that in the court of global public opinion, the incumbent U.S. president is in the same position as Saddam and Milosevic as an icon of evil.

Concerning comments on negotiations with America about Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed Iran's positions and said: "We declare that we will not negotiate on issues of contention between Iran and America, because by their logic, there is no real negotiation. This is just a tool for them impose their demands on the other side."

Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the impudent, distorted and improper attitude of American officials on the subject [of negotiation], adding that American officials both in and out of Iraq have repeatedly called on Iran to negotiate, and that these requests had fallen on deaf ears. However, as the calls were recently repeated once more, Iranian officials reconsidered the possibility that negotiation over Iraq might be effective for defusing the tragic insecurity there, and have agreed to transfer their views to the United States.

Touching on the role of American, British and Israeli intelligence in creating insecurity in Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Our specific viewpoint on Iraq is that the American government must hand over the country, stop inciting sectarian feelings and creating insecurity and let the Iraqi nation run itself, so that calm can be restored."

Referring to rumors from U.S. officials that Iran wants to negotiate with America on various issues, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Recent behavior by American officials demonstrates their domineering tendencies, and that a negotiation is the same as summoning Iranian officials. We say to them that you are damned wrong if you think you are summoning Iranian officials."

Ayatollah Khamenei asserted that negotiations over Iraq are permissible, provided that the relevant officials can impress on the Americans Iran's views on the issue. But if this is meant to provide a venue for the deceitful Americans to continue their bullying, further negotiations with them on the Iraqi situation will be prohibited, just like they are on other issues.

Ayatollah Khamenei devoted the last section of his speech to the issue of nuclear energy, saying: "The gist of the enemy's idea is that the Iranian nation must not possess nuclear energy, because it will become powerful and no longer accept the bully."

Underscoring the dire need for the Iranian nation to develop nuclear energy, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "If today, the nation fails to obtain nuclear energy, it will be set back dozens of years, and when in the near future, energy is needed, it will have to stretch out its hands to aliens and enemies, and we may have to satisfy a small part of our demand by tolerating humiliation, insult and the trampling of its dignity and self respect."

Touching on the gradual depletion of oil resources and the ensuing attention of the nations of the world, including the United States and the European countries, on new and cleaner energies, especially nuclear, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "The entire world utilizes nuclear energy for progress and future security. Consequently, we emphasize that nuclear technology is the undeniable right of the Iranian people and nation. Neither myself nor any other official may give in to America's bullying."

Concerning the threats to the Iranian nation from the specter of the Security Council, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Our nation has experience with the Security Council. During the imposed war [the Iran-Iraq War ] the Council, when the enemy had occupied thousands of kilometers of Iranian soil, issued resolutions calling for an end to the and defense of the Iranian nation. But the Islamic System [Iran] rejected them, because they were against the country's strategic interests. Neither will we accept a decision by the Security Council that is against our strategic interests."

Concluding his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized: "Our nation and young people, along with its officials, stand against all pressure, and our common resolve, together with Divine Blessings and the assistance of the Patron of the Age (the last Shiite Imam who is alive, but hidden) heralds a bright future for the country."

VIDEO FROM IRAN: 'NOT ONLY IRAN CHANTS DEATH TO AMERICA'

Iranian TV, Iran: Excerpts from a speech by Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, March 21, 00:03:04, MEMRI

"If [the Americans] want to know who is really isolated, I suggest they conduct a referendum in the Islamic world. Thus, they can compare our president's popularity with that of the American president."

Iran's Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei