Vital Perspective

Ahmadinejad: Britain, Israel and U.S. to Vanish Like the Egyptian Pharaohs

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has predicted that Britain, Israel and the U.S. would eventually disappear from the world like the Egyptian pharaonic kings.

"The oppressive powers will disappear while the Iranian people will stay. Any power that is close to God will survive while the powers who are far from God will disappear like the pharaohs," he said Wednesday. "Today, it is the United States, Britain and the Zionist regime which are doomed to disappear as they have moved far away from the teachings of God," he said. "It is a divine promise."

Ahmadinejad's comments were the latest salvo against the West and Israel. He has repeatedly predicted that Israel is doomed to disappear. The remarks come amid mounting efforts by the P-5 to agree a resolution imposing sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

Tehran Municipal Election Results a Major Political Setback for Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's opponents were poised to secure a majority on Tehran's City Council, in his first political setback since he won the office in June 2005. Backers of Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf, a rival of Ahmadinejad, are set to win eight of fifteen seats in the municipal election. Candidates from a coalition of modernizing "reformists," including three of former president Mohammad Khatami's ministers, looked likely to pick up four more seats.

The results show that Ahmadinejad's populist rhetoric hasn't impressed Iranians as much as he may have expected. After a year-and-a-half in office, Ahmadinejad's lack of delivery on promises to raise living standards and improve economic conditions seems to have registered with voters. He was elected president after a campaign in which he said he would use oil revenue for the improvement of ordinary Iranians' lives.

Cox & Forkum: Genocidal Logic

New UN S-G Ban: Iranian Statements on Holocaust, Israel are 'Unacceptable'

Could a great change be coming at the UN? Incoming UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Iran today that it was unacceptable to deny the Holocaust or call for Israel to be wiped off the map. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad just ended a two-day international conference on the Holocaust that was dominated by speakers who questioned the extermination of 6 million Jews by the Nazis.

"Denying historical facts especially on such an important subject as the Holocaust is just not acceptable," Ban said. "Nor is it acceptable to call for the elimination of states or people. I would like to see this fundamental principle respected in both rhetoric and practice by all the members of the international community." A former South Korean foreign minister, Ban assumes his post on January 1.

Washington Post Cartoon Weighs in on Ahmadinejad's Holocaust Conference

Ahmadinejad Speaks to Holocaust Conference: Israel Will Disappear Like USSR

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has told a conference in Tehran questioning the Holocaust that Israel's days are numbered. "Just as the USSR disappeared, soon the Zionist regime will disappear," he said to the applause of the participants. "The trend for the existence of the Zionist regime is downwards and this is what God has promised and what all nations want."

Ahmadinejad has repeatedly downplayed the extent of the Holocaust, describing it as a myth used to justify the existence of Israel and oppression of the Palestinians. He has called for an end to the Israeli state. Many Iranians must be wondering why they have the right to deny the Holocaust with impunity, but not to question their own leaders without risking jail.

SECDEF Nominee Gates: Nobody Can Assure Israel's Safety from Iranian Nukes

We're doing some blogging of the SECDEF hearings with Robert Gates, and thought this line of questioning from Sen. Graham on the Iranian nuclear threat was particularly interesting. Gates says that nobody - that's nobody - can assure Israel that they will not be attacked with an Iranian nuclear weapon should Iran obtain one:

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Iran. Do you believe the Iranians are trying to acquire nuclear weapons capability?

MR. GATES: Yes, sir, I do.

SEN. GRAHAM: Do you believe the president of Iran is lying when he says he's not?

MR. GATES: Yes, sir.

SEN. GRAHAM: Do you believe the Iranians would consider using that nuclear weapons capability against the nation of Israel?

MR. GATES: I don't know that they would do that, Senator. I think that the risks for them obviously are enormously high. I think that they see value --

SEN. GRAHAM: If I may?

MR. GATES: Yes, sir.

SEN. GRAHAM: The president of Iran has publicly disavowed the existence of the Holocaust, he has publicly stated that he would like to wipe Israel off the map. Do you think he's kidding?

MR. GATES: No, I don't think he's kidding. And -- but I think that there are, in fact, higher powers in Iran than he, than the president. And I think that while they are certainly pressing, in my opinion, for a nuclear capability, I think that they would see it in the first instance as a deterrent. They are surrounded by powers with nuclear weapons -- Pakistan to their east, the Russians to the north, the Israelis to the west, and us in the Persian Gulf --

SEN. GRAHAM: Can you assure the Israelis that they will not attack Israel with a nuclear weapon, if they acquire one?

MR. GATES: No, sir, I don't think that anybody can provide that assurance.

Ahmadinejad Writes Letter Addressed to 'American People' on Foreign Policy

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sent a five-page "letter to the American people" to New York where its contents will be released on Wednesday, Iranian media reported. The Iranian Mission at the UN plans on publicizing the text. If and when we obtain it, we will of course pass it along to you.

According to reports, Ahmadinejad's letter accused their government of "coercion, force and injustice" and urged the U.S. to pull out of Iraq. He also called on Washington to recognize a Palestinian state and cautioned the Democratic Party that, after gaining control of Congress, they would be "held to account by the people and by history."

"Governments are there to serve their own people. No people wants to side with or support any oppressors. But regrettably, the U.S. administration disregards even its own public opinion and remains in the forefront of supporting the trampling of the rights of the Palestinian people," he said. "It is possible to govern based on an approach that is distinctly different from one of coercion, force and injustice."

On Iraq, he said that with a constitution and government now in place, "would it not be more beneficial to bring the U.S. officers and soldiers home, and to spend the astronomical U.S. military expenditures in Iraq for the welfare and prosperity of the American people?"

UPDATE 11/29 @ 14:54: The full text of the letter is transcribed below the fold.

Iran Offers to Share Nuclear Expertise with Algeria; Possible Weapons Program

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has offered to share nuclear expertise with Algeria following a meeting with Algerian energy minister Shakib Khalil. Algeria is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which supports Iran's nuclear activities.

Concerns that Algeria might be developing a nuclear weapons program erupted after an American surveillance satellite photographed a large nuclear reactor under construction in the desert in 1991. The Algerian government succumbed to international pressure and agreed to sign an inspection protocol with the IAEA in 1992, a pact that was further strengthened in a 1996 deal. Algeria also signed the NPT in 1995. Despite these safeguards and the presence of inspectors, intelligence agencies in the West continue to express concern.

"The Algerian nuclear program, originally conceived with a clear military purpose, continues to equip itself with the installations necessary to carry out all the activities linked to the complete cycle for obtaining military grade plutonium, a key element in a nuclear arms program," the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists quoted a 1998 report from Cesid, the Spanish intelligence agency, as saying.

Ahmadinejad Begs UN to Forego Sanctions; Says Israel Near 'Disintegration'

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave an interview with al-Alam television earlier today to discuss the nuclear program, the possibility of international sanctions and/or use of force.

In his view, the discussions in the Security Council on sanctions against Tehran are "illegal and has no influence whatsoever" on their pursuit of nuclear weapons. From there he goes on to practically beg the West for recognition with diplomatic engagement by arguing 'you can't live without us!'

Towards the end of the interview, he makes his obligatory threat to Israel by declaring it is near "disintegration and they cannot keep themselves from falling apart." Tell us more fairy tales Mahmoud, like how your nuclear program is 'peaceful'.

Q: Welcome dear viewers to this special meeting with his Excellency the President of the Iranian Islamic Republic, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. We took the opportunity of his visit to our channel to hear about the latest developments and positions on the Iranian nuclear issue.

Welcome your Excellency. We would like to thank you for giving us this opportunity.

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD: Thank you too.

Q: Your Excellency, where does the nuclear issue stand today? You said in your recent statements that on the anniversary of the Islamic revolution, the Iranians will be celebrating a new era. You declared that you are in the fianl stages of strengthening your nuclear rights, and declaring Iran as a nuclear country.

MR. AHMADINEJAD: In the name of God, most merciful and Gracious. My regards to all the viewers, all the Muslims and all the nations watching this interview.

Yes, our nuclear issue is clear. We are moving in the framework of international law, and we are protecting the right of our nation to possess this technology. It is very normal - we are acting within the law and no one can stop us.

There are some forces in the world that want power - all of the power - in order to be able to impose their decisions on others. But our nation and other nations reject that.

Today we can produce fuel and we are heading towards the industrial field, which is a given right, and international law grants us this right without any problems.

Some were aspiring, and are still aspiring to find some problems, but they cannot do anything about it. The celebration that we will have will be before the end of this year, and it will reaffirm Iran's rights. We can produce this technology but it needs more machinery on the industrial level.

In the Bushehr nuclear reactor, there are 80 tons at this stage, and we will need 30 more tons of nuclear fuel later if we want to produce electricity in the electro-nuclear power station. We will need 20 times more fuel if we take into consideration our country's need for electricity. Within the next year, I think we will be able to guarantee our fuel needs.

Q: In this context, you have declared that you will use 60,000 new centrifuges. Will you go ahead with this project, and will it take place in coordination with the IAEA or not?