The Supreme Leader of Iran: Says its time for America

to apologize for its 'wrongdoing.'

 

 

Press TV, Islamic Republic of Iran

Ayatollah Khamenei Says America Must Apologize for 1953 Coup

 

Does the United States owe the Iranian people an apology for the 1953 CIA-sponsored coup that overthrew that nation's democratic government? And is there any justification for the way American diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran were taken prisoner in 1978? According to this news account of a speech by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini, the answers to both questions are yes - and if America's new president wants to improve relations, he’ll have to issue an apology for America's past misdeeds.

 

October 29, 2008

 

Islamic Republic of Iran - Original Article (English)

Ayatollah Khamenei has said that the dispute between the United States and Iran is very deep-seated. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution says that the United States must apologize to the Iranian nation for its wrongdoing, if it wishes to have closer ties to Tehran.

 

Tehran and Washington severed diplomatic ties in 1979.

 

In a Wednesday address to Iranian scholars and students, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution asked why there is such a divide between Iran and the United States, drawing attention to the causes for the Iran-America conflict. "In order to answer this question we must deeply reflect upon the issue. That's because the conflict goes beyond differences of opinion on certain political issues - and relates to how the victory of the Islamic Revolution put an end to U.S. control over its main foothold in the oil rich Middle East region.

 

His Eminence added: "After Americans were expelled, they resorted to their usual arrogant policies and began using their embassy in Tehran for espionage activities against the Islamic Republic. But the great movement of our faithful youth - who were true followers of Imam Khomeini, foiled their plots."

 

Speaking six days before the U.S. presidential election, the Leader said that Iranian "hatred" toward the White House is a result of America's plots against the people of Iran over the past 50 years.

 

Iran holds the United States responsible for a CIA-launched coup in 1953, against the then-democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq. The coup marked the CIA's first successful overthrow of a foreign government, after which the United States restated its close ally the Shah, Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, in Iran.

 

Ayatollah Khamenei said it was disappointing that American politicians have never expressed regret over their past anti-Iran actions. "Instead, they continue to adopt the same arrogant attitude," the Leader said.

 

He added: "The victory of our nation's Islamic movement, under the leadership of Imam Ayatollah Khomeini and the annihilation of the powerful fortress of arrogance inside the country was due to the sense of responsibility of our youth. It was this sense of responsibility that led to the resistance and the miraculous victory of the Iranian nation over the arrogant powers during the eight-year Sacred Defense Era [1980-1988]." 

Posted by WORLDMEETS.US

 

His Eminence said that the capturing of the U.S. Embassy - which was a center for espionage - on November 4, 1978, was the result of the collective sense of responsibility on the part of the prominent youth of the time.

 

American Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has pledged to directly and diplomatically engage with Iran should he take office, raising the prospect of closer Tehran-Washington relations. But according to Senator Obama, diplomatic methods would only be used to address Iran's nuclear program.

 

According to former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, America's declaration of war against democracy in Iran in 1953 played a pivotal role in troubled relations between the two countries. "It's easy to see now why many Iranians continue to resent this intervention by America into their internal affairs," Albright said in a March 2000 address.

 

Ayatollah Khamenei said that since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the United States has adopted a hostile attitude toward Iran in the hopes of isolating the country and forcing it to crawl back to America's sphere of influence. But the Leader added that maintaining a similar policy toward Iran will not work, particularly after the incumbent U.S. President [Bush] has driven his country into crisis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US October 29, 9:55pm]