President Hassan Rouhani: As much as U.S.
politicians charge Iran with
being a terrorist sponser, Tehran is just as sure that the United States and
its anti-ISIL
partners engage in similar activity. Will the use of terrorists
as a tool of foreign policy ever in
form and substance be renounced?
Rouhani Calls Anti-ISIL Coalition 'Terrorist Backers' and a 'Joke' (Tehran Times, Iran)
The president
of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, criticized members of the
emerging coalition to defeat the Islamic State as 'terrorist backers' and said
that after they ' trained, equipped and financially supported terrorist groups'
it was 'like a joke.' However, according to this news item from the state-run
Tehran Times, Rouhani said that if such countries are
sincere about fighting terrorism 'from now on', 'their penitence should be
accepted.' Meanwhile, former Mohammad Khatami said that
Daesh, Israel and Western neo-conservatives can 'no
longer represent their religions.'
TEHRAN: President Hassan Rouhani, during
a meeting with Slovak Foreign Minister MiroslavLajcak on Monday, said that the anti-terrorism coalition,
comprised of countries that have trained, equipped and financially supported
terrorist groups "is like a joke."
"However, if any country sincerely announces that it intends
to fight terrorism from now on, we believe that their penitence should be
accepted," he added.
During a meeting in Jeddah last Thursday, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and
Lebanon agreed to join the United States and other NATO countries in the fight
against ISIL in Iraq and Syria.
Iran's president pointed to the fact that terrorism is a
growing threat to the world, and he urged the entire world to cooperate in combating
it.
There are many regional concerns, such as the situation of Palestinians
in the Gaza Strip and crimes being committed by terrorists in Iraq and Syria, Rouhani said, adding that in countries around the world, there
are many issues surrounding security and stability.
The president also said that Iran takes seriously nuclear
talks with the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the U.N. Security
Council plus Germany), expressing hope that in due time, the other side would be
just as serious about achieving a comprehensive deal.
Iran and the 5+1 failed to meet a self-imposed July 20
deadline to work out a comprehensive deal for resolving the dispute over Iran's
nuclear program, extending the deadline to November 24.
Rouhani also expressed hope that
the term "sanctions" would be removed from international relations,
specifically "blind sanctions" on food, medicine and medical
equipments that impact the lives of average people.
Khatami Criticizes Daesh,
Israel, Neo-Cons
Meanwhile, former President and Baran
Cultural Foundation Chairman Mohammad Khatami said on
Wednesday that Daesh, Israel and Western
neo-conservatives can no longer represent their religions.
He made the remarks in the monthly meeting of the Baran Cultural Foundation, (aka/The
Khatami Foundation, aka/Foundation for Dialogue Among
Civilizations.)
Khatami said he deplored the fact
that the human conscience absorbs the pain of excessive violence, insecurity
and humiliation so prevalent with the international community today.
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He said that Zionism is not representative of Jews, Daesh is not representative of Islamic civilization or Muslims,
and that neo-conservatives in the West are not representative of Western and
Christian civilization or culture.
Undoubtedly, though, Khatami said,
artists and intellectuals can represent their own religions and promote their own
cultures through dialogue.
He said that politicians have no option but a dialogue among
civilizations, but that in practice, they and the bullying powers continue to wage
devastating wars against humanity.
September 11, 2001, Khatami said,
provided all the evidence we need that the international community requires
dialogue. Dialogue, he said, is the purview of the far-sighted who are open to
global developments.
Khatami stated that warmongers avoid
dialogue, seek to eliminate their rivals at any cost, resorting even to suppression,
occupation or slavery, and that when they suffer from weakness they resort to
violence and terrorism.
Khatami said that in his opinion,
the human conscience is thirsty for dialogue and fed up with violence,
insecurity and humiliation.
