Iran's leader: US wrong move would endanger oil

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said yesterday that US President George W. Bush is the most unpopular figure in the world.

The Supreme Leader's remarks were part of his address to a huge crowd of people gathered at the late Imam Khomeini's mausoleum in southern Tehran to mark the 17th anniversary of the departure of the Founder of the Islamic Republic.

Also, Khamenei said that oil could be effected if the US makes a wrong move. US Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday in response played down the comments saying that Iran is very dependent on oil exports and is unlikely to effect supply as a result. Rice acknowledged Iran has right to nuclear fuel, but indicated that this should not include the right to make the fuel on its own soil. Rice said "no one is questioning that it (Iran) has a right to civil nuclear power," but that "Many countries have the right to that that don't enrich and reprocess on their territory, and given Iran's history it must not have the technologies that could lead to a nuclear weapon."

Khamenei speaking of the relations between the two countries asked "Your president, Mr. Bush, faces protests and public wrath wherever he steps on earth. In Latin America governments have come to power on anti-US slogans. Presidential hopefuls in Latin America chant anti-US slogans and people vote for them. Isn't this the climax of hatred?"

In contrast, the Supreme Leader referred to the recent visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad to Indonesia and to visits of former Iranian presidents to various countries in which these officials received rupturous welcomes from their host countries' officials and constituents.

"Why can't you realize the implications and refuse to acknowledge them?" asked the Leader.

He said the situation in Iran today compared with that in the United States points to Iranians being far better off than their American counterparts.

Comparing the Iranian and US presidents, the Supreme Leader said that the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad is one of the most popular since the constitutional movement in the country a century ago while President George W Bush, citing opinion polls, is one of most detested presidents in US history.

"The accusation that Iran is trying to produce an atomic bomb is false and a sheer lie," said Ayatollah Khamenei in his address to a huge crowd gathered to mark the 17th anniversary of the late Imam Khomeini's departure.

Khamenei added "We do not need a nuclear bomb. We consider nuclear weapons an affront to Islamic precepts."

Islamic Iran believes that production of nuclear weapons and maintaining an arsenal of these weapons is wrong, he said. "Our people's faith is our nuclear bomb," he added.

Khamenei said that everyone knows that Iran is no threat to any country, and stressed that Iran has never threatened any of its neighbors.

"We have friendly relations with all in the region and in Asia. We have good and healthy relations with Europe, and in the near future, because they need our gas and energy, these relations will become even better," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Referring to the friendly relations between Iran and the Arab states, the Supreme Leader reiterated that the Arab world supports Iran's stance on Palestine.

Terming Tehran-Moscow relations as 'good', Ayatollah Khamenei said the Russians know very well how they would be treated if a pro-American government was in power in Iran.

"Iran does not intimidate anyone and will not hesitate to defend its ideals and national interests in the face of aggression. Anyone who threatens our country will face the wrath of the nation," said the Supreme Leader.

Khamenei warned the United States that any wrong move on Iran would "definitely endanger energy flow in the region."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that the noble Iranian nation, with its power and dignity, had for years been kept backward by dictatorial powers and their cronies.

"We want to use the enormous and rich human and natural resources of Iran in the right place and free the country from the intimidation and bondage of the past several centuries."

Ayatollah Khamenei said that Iran had no problems with any country in the region or in Europe so much so that Washington felt it necessary to fan flames of hostility.