Iran would study a Pelosi request for talks
Iran-USA, Politics, 4/16/2007

Iran's Commander of the Navy, Rear-Admiral Sajjad Kouchaki, said today that Iran would give crushing response to those who may venture into aggression on Iran.

"Iranian Navy is fully ready to confront any threat posed by enemies in case of evil thought to be translated into practice," he said.

He added, "The Navy's strategy is based on all-out defense for Iran's territorial waters, national interests and islands in the Persian Gulf region. Experts of the Navy have conducted military exercise with active patrolling of regional waters and made enemies be aware of their potentials and capabilities to confront any threat."

The commander said that the naval experts strive to design and construct defense terminals from where the Navy can intercept the enemies vessels adding such terminals would be effective to target hostile vessels in the Persian Gulf.

"After victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, we have faced with the US and British aggressions several times, but, each time we have given crushing responses to them," he added.

Meantime, an Iranian parliamentarian said on Sunday that the US Democrats' offer for dialogue with Iran is not worth considering. "When the Democrats were in power they behaved the same way the Republicans do today; and on this basis, their willingness for negotiation with Iran is not worth considering," said Majlis deputy from Astara (Gilan province) Shapur Marhaba in an introductory address to open session of Majlis on Sunday.

Marhaba said though they are not governing the US, Democrats have necessary power in the two US legislative bodies -- Senate and the Congress.

"The act of sanctioning Iran (D'Amato Act) was enacted on the proposal of the Democrats. Naturally, as long as no concrete change is witnessed, nobody in Iran would take their word seriously," he said.

Head of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, said on Sunday that stance of the US administration toward Iran, left no ground for talks between the US House speaker and Iranian members of parliament.

Boroujerdi said that the US administration has been involved in kidnapping Iranian diplomats and taking them into custody in Iraq which run counter to the Vienna Convention.

The US administration has also been involved in torture of the Second Secretary of Iran's Embassy in Baghdad Jalal Sharafi, he said adding that practices of the US administration spoiled the situation required in the run-up to any kind of talks.

The US Democrats are expected to prove their goodwill towards Iran by removing the D'Amato Act which bans foreign firms' export to Iran of energy technology, a Majlis deputy said on Sunday.
Mohsen Kohkan from Lenjan, Isfahan, made the remarks in an address to Majlis formal session on Sunday.

Referring to the signals being sent by the US senators from the Democratic Party to visit Iran for talks with Iranian MPs, Kohkan said, "It is a good occasion the US senators would prove part of their goodwill by repealing D'Amato Act.

"As the first step to show their goodwill, the Democrats who have currently the majority in the US House of Representatives, would repeal the D'Amato Act," said the MP.

The law was introduced by New York Republican Senator Alfonse D'Amato in 1995 to discourage non-American companies from investing in Iran and Libya.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said yesterday that Iran would study possible request by Democratic Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi to visit Iran and hold talks with Iranian officials.

"If any official request were made, we would discuss it on due time," Hosseini told domestic and foreign reporters at his weekly press conference.

"Pelosi's office has rejected news announcing her readiness to visit Iran," he said, adding that currently, there is no reliable news in this regard.

Previous Stories:
  Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Iraq claims torture   (4/9/2007)
  Zebari: Iran seeks meeting with kidnapped diplomats   (4/9/2007)
  Larijani: US unilateral measures against Iran fail   (4/9/2007)

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