Iranian leader demands US apology

Praxius

Praxius

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Mr Ahmadinejad's remarks were the first since Mr Obama took office

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iranian leader demands US apology

Iran's president has responded to an overture by the new US president by demanding an apology for past US "crimes" committed against Iran.

The US "stood against the Iranian people in the past 60 years," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during an address in the western region of Khermenshah.

"Those who speak of change must apologise to the Iranian people and try to repair their past crimes," he said.

President Obama has offered to extend a hand if Iran "unclenched its fist".

President Barack Obama discussed the possibility of a softening of US policy towards Iran in an interview recorded with a Saudi-owned Arabic TV network on Monday.

'Strong tirade'

The Iranian president welcomed the possibility of US change, but said: "When they say 'we want to make changes', change can happen in two ways".
"First is a fundamental and effective change... The second ... is a change of tactics. It is very clear that, if the meaning of change is the second one, this will soon be revealed," he said.


The remarks are the first Iranian comment on the US since Mr Obama took office eight days ago.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran describes it as one of Mr Ahmadinejad's strongest tirades against the US.

Our correspondent says we may see twists and turns out of Iran as its leaders work out whether Mr Obama is offering real changes and whether they are prepared to offer real changes in return.

While he was playing to the crowd, adds our correspondent, he could also be staking out his position ahead of Iran's presidential elections in June.

Mr Ahmadinejad congratulated Mr Obama after his election in November but the message was criticised in Iran and received a cool response from Mr Obama.

Nuclear issue

Mr Ahmadinejad also attacked US support for Israel and called on Mr Obama to withdraw US troops from their bases around the world.

"If you talk about change it must put an end to the US military presence in the world, withdraw your troops and take them back inside your borders."

The US should "stop interfering in other people's affairs," he said.

"If someone wants to talk with us in the language that [George W] Bush used... even if he uses new words, our response will be the same that we gave to Bush during the past years".

Relations between Washington and Tehran reached new lows in recent years over attempts by the US and its allies in the United Nations to curtail Iran's nuclear programme over fears it is trying to build nuclear weapons.

Tehran says its programme is to develop civilian nuclear power only.

The new US ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, said on Monday that she was looking forward to "vigorous diplomacy that includes direct diplomacy with Iran".
The US broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in 1979, after students stormed the US embassy in Tehran after the Islamist revolution overthrew the US-backed Shah.
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I'm not sure, is that an unclinched fist? :p
 
EagleSmack

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I think that falls in the "clenched fist" category. Perhaps Iran likes the way things as they are. I doubt very highly Iran will get an apology.
 
C

Cliffy

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EagleSmack said:
I think that falls in the "clenched fist" category. Perhaps Iran likes the way things as they are. I doubt very highly Iran will get an apology.
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Of course not. America is always right and they would never apologize not matter what stupid mistake or atrocity they perpetrate. They don't have to - god is on their side after all!:roll:
 
EagleSmack

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Cliffy said:
And I suppose that your response is unexpected or clever. You just prove my point.
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I am just stooping to your level Clifford. You want to be a silly troll you shall be treated as such.

Did you really "suppose" that?

Did you have a point?

You are one of the many whining b*itches that pop up from time to time... that is all.
 
darkbeaver

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EagleSmack said:
I am just stooping to your level Clifford. You want to be a silly troll you shall be treated as such.

Did you really "suppose" that?

Did you have a point?

You are one of the many whining b*itches that pop up from time to time... that is all.
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Have you got your imperial star trooper uniform on this early in the day Smack?
 
MHz

MHz

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Cliffy said:
god is on their side after all!:roll:
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Just because they claim it is so doesn't make it so. By their fruits you will know them is how it actually goes. They will belong to God at some point, at the present their God is not the God they claim it to be.

The list of who they would have to include, if they ever offered an apology to anybody, would be a lot longer than just Iran, but you have to start somewhere. Perhaps adding a few names to the list that are off to The Hague might be seen as a sort of gesture in that general direction. Anybody still alive from '53 that could be sent, might as well get rid of the old stock first.
 
EagleSmack

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MHz said:
Just because they claim it is so doesn't make it so. By their fruits you will know them is how it actually goes. They will belong to God at some point, at the present their God is not the God they claim it to be.
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Just because you claim we claim it doesn't me we claim it.
 
Cannuck

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"Iran's president has responded to an overture by the new US president by demanding an apology for past US "crimes" committed against Iran"

The west should apologize. It would serve two purposes. First, the west (notice I'm using the term west instead of US) has no credibility in the middle east because they say one thing and do another. They claim they want democracy but then they overthrow the democratically elected Mohammed Mosaddeq and install a brutal dictator. Until the west acknowledges this as hypocritical the ME will continue to distrust them.

Secondly, It takes the bluster out of Ahmadinejad's words. He is not highly thought of in the middle east but the distrust of the west helps him. Agree with him. show him he is right. Make him "a friend of the west". It'll take the wind out of his sails.
 
Socrates the Greek

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EagleSmack said:
I think that falls in the "clenched fist" category. Perhaps Iran likes the way things as they are. I doubt very highly Iran will get an apology.
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Iran deserves nothing of that sort. They are financing terror against the West and the Jews. They should apologize to the world for hate crimes they have blood stains on their cloths...
 
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MHz

MHz

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Socrates the Greek said:
Iran deserves nothing of that sort. They are financing terror against the West and the Jews. They should apologize to the world for hate crimes they have blood satins on their cloths...
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What does bloody satin have to do with what the US was upto in Iran in the 50's and upto the end of the 70's?
Iran doesn't have it's military spread over the globe nor is it unloading bombs on anybody, a terrorist is one who caused terror to be felt by the helpless, at the present that is the Us and Israel. At least keep up with the program.
 
EagleSmack

EagleSmack

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MHz said:
It's printed on your money....In God We Trust (everybody else pays cash)
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So because it is printed on our money you feel that? Really? How silly you are.

What's a me we?
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Oh that is a type-o. I meant to type "mean" instead of me...

"By their fruits you will know them is how it actually goes." Just like this means no sense as you typed it but I got your drift of what you were trying to say.
 
EagleSmack

EagleSmack

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MHz said:
Iran doesn't have it's military spread over the globe nor is it unloading bombs on anybody, a terrorist is one who caused terror to be felt by the helpless, at the present that is the Us and Israel.
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Since you are correcting everyone's typos, how about using a period. Ever hear of a constructing a complete sentence?
 
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