Iran’s President is making it perfectly clear:
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has marked the 26th anniversary of the Islamic revolution with a stern warning that any invaders will face what he calls a “burning hell.”
He must have eaten at Juan’s Mexican Palace, too…
Addressing tens of thousands of Iranians Thursday in central Tehran, Mr. Khatami said the Islamic republic does not seek “war, violence or confrontation.”
Oh. Then all the reports in post-911 books about Iran having a possible link in exporting terrorism, and this report about fears that Iran is working to destabilize and possibly off the new Palestinian leader, are false.
Iran is facing mounting international pressure over its nuclear program, which the United States alleges is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. President Bush says he has not ruled out the use of military force, if negotiations fail to end the threat.
Today, for a second time in two days, Mr. Khatami dismissed Mr. Bush’s comments as part of a psychological war.
Britain, France and Germany are engaged in ongoing talks with Iran aimed at persuading Tehran to end its nuclear enrichment program.Negotiators in Geneva have reported little progress in the talks.
The fact that negotiations are still going on is heartening but as we have said for a year: watch Iran.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.