Spring Break
Iranian president says talks with US possible
Associated Press
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: News
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's hard-line president told crowds celebrating the Islamic revolution's anniversary Tuesday that the country is ready for talks with the United States, the strongest signal yet that Tehran welcomes President Barack Obama's calls for dialogue.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comments in a speech to hundreds of thousands celebrating the 30th anniversary of the revolution, which ousted the U.S-backed shah and installed rule by hard-line Muslim clerics. The event led to a collapse in relations between the two countries and years of enmity.
As usual at such gatherings, there were chants of "Death to America," along with the burning of U.S. and Israeli flags. But the chanting stopped as Ahmadinejad spoke of dialogue with the United States, and the firebrand president refrained from the denunciations of America that often mark his speeches.
Since Obama's election, Iranian leaders have struck a cautious tone over his campaign promises to open a dialogue with Tehran, signaling that the government was undecided on how to respond. On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad made it clear Iran is prepared to talk, citing terrorism, the elimination of nuclear weapons, restructuring the U.N. Security Council and fighting drug trafficking as possible areas for discussion.
"The Iranian nation is ready for talks (with the U.S.), but in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect," Ahmadinejad told the crowds in Tehran's Freedom Square.
His comments came the day after Obama said his administration was looking for opportunities to engage Iran and pledged to rethink Washington's relationship with Tehran.
But Ahmadinejad also declared that Iran is now a "superpower" - pointing to the recent launch of the first locally made satellite into space - and made clear it expects to be treated as an equal.
"If you really want to fight terrorism, come and cooperate with the Iranian nation, which is the biggest victim of terrorism so that terrorism is eliminated. ... If you want to confront nuclear weapons ... you need to stand beside Iran so it can introduce a correct path to you," he said.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comments in a speech to hundreds of thousands celebrating the 30th anniversary of the revolution, which ousted the U.S-backed shah and installed rule by hard-line Muslim clerics. The event led to a collapse in relations between the two countries and years of enmity.
As usual at such gatherings, there were chants of "Death to America," along with the burning of U.S. and Israeli flags. But the chanting stopped as Ahmadinejad spoke of dialogue with the United States, and the firebrand president refrained from the denunciations of America that often mark his speeches.
Since Obama's election, Iranian leaders have struck a cautious tone over his campaign promises to open a dialogue with Tehran, signaling that the government was undecided on how to respond. On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad made it clear Iran is prepared to talk, citing terrorism, the elimination of nuclear weapons, restructuring the U.N. Security Council and fighting drug trafficking as possible areas for discussion.
"The Iranian nation is ready for talks (with the U.S.), but in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect," Ahmadinejad told the crowds in Tehran's Freedom Square.
His comments came the day after Obama said his administration was looking for opportunities to engage Iran and pledged to rethink Washington's relationship with Tehran.
But Ahmadinejad also declared that Iran is now a "superpower" - pointing to the recent launch of the first locally made satellite into space - and made clear it expects to be treated as an equal.
"If you really want to fight terrorism, come and cooperate with the Iranian nation, which is the biggest victim of terrorism so that terrorism is eliminated. ... If you want to confront nuclear weapons ... you need to stand beside Iran so it can introduce a correct path to you," he said.
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