Ahmadi-Nejad: Iran wants Palestinian legal rights restored
Palestine-Iran-USA, Politics, 4/27/2009

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad said that Iran wants the Palestinian people's legal rights restored.

In an interview with the US ABC television network, he said, "We believe that the Palestinian nation, like other nations, has the right to determine its own fate."

All Muslims, Christians and Jews should be permitted to hold a free election and decide their fate, he added.

"Would the Americans accept the Palestinians' call for withdrawal of Israelis from the occupied lands?" President Ahmadi-Nejad asked, saying the Iranian nation would support any decision the Palestinians make.

"We are not supposed to determine anything. We support whatever the Palestinians decide, although we expect other states to do the same. The US and European states should recognize rights of the Palestinians to decide their fate," the Iranian president noted.

Asked why the issue of Holocaust must be studied as a historical phenomenon, the president said if this is a historical event why do they want to turn it into a sacred issue and why is no one permitted to raise any question about it.

If Holocaust is a historical event why do the Western states show so much sensitivity towards it? The president asked, saying if the Holocaust happened in Europe why should the Palestinians pay the price for it. The Palestinians had nothing to do with the Holocaust, he added.

The Iranian president reiterated that the Iranian nation is interested in peace and friendship for all.

On President Obama's stands regarding establishment of new relations with Iran, he said the US administration unilaterally cut off its relations with Iran 29 years ago. He condemned the hostile approach of various US governments towards the Iranian nation in the past three decades.

Criticizing the absence of President Obama in the Geneva conference, he said the event was organized by the UN to combat and oppose racism. President Obama was expected to be present at the meeting to condemn racism, he said, adding that it was a good opportunity for talks and all-out cooperation.

Tehran-Washington ties are dependent on the US decisions, the Iranian president said when asked if he won the upcoming presidential elections what the prospect of Iran-US relations would be. "I wrote in my letter to Obama that we welcome any change in the US approach and will help develop it," President Ahmadi-Nejad concluded.

Previous Stories:
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  Iran's Supreme Leader expresses grief at human tragedy in Gaza Strip   (3/5/2008)
  Palestinian official: Iran's revolution proved victory of blood over sword   (2/12/2008)
  US-sponsored peace confab, a trap for regional states: President   (10/23/2007)
  Rice plays down Iran's aids for the Palestinians   (2/23/2006)

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