Obama must apologize for U.S. crimes against Iran: Ahmadinejad

Thursday 29th January, 07:10 AM JST

TEHRAN —

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad demanded on Wednesday that President Barack Obama apologize for past U.S. “crimes” against the Islamic republic, after the new U.S. leader extended a hand of diplomacy to Tehran.

The firebrand Iranian leader also called on Washington to withdraw its troops from across the world as a proof of Obama’s promised policy of change.

“You were standing against the Iranian people in the past 60 years,” Ahmadinejad said in an address in the western region of Khermenshah that was broadcast on state television.

“Those who speak of change must apologize to the Iranian people and try to repair their past bad acts and the crimes they committed against Iran,” he said, suggesting it could be a condition for any talks between the arch-foes.

In an interview on Monday with Al-Arabiya television, Obama promised to lay down a framework for his policy toward Iran, whose leaders have long regarded the United States as the “Great Satan.”

“As I said in my inauguration speech, if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fist, they will find an extended hand from us,” Obama said. “It is very important for us to make sure that we are using all the tools of U.S. power, including diplomacy, in our relationship with Iran.”

But Ahmadinejad on Wednesday launched a fresh tirade against the United States and said he expected “deep and fundamental” change from Obama.

“Meet people, talk to them with respect and put an end to the expansionist policies. If you talk about change, it must put an end to the U.S. military presence in the world, withdraw your troops and take them back inside your borders,” Ahmadinejad said.

He said the advocates of change must “stop supporting the Zionists, outlaws and criminals” and also called on the United States to “stop interfering in other people’s affairs.”

“If someone wants to talk with us in the language that Bush used ... even if he uses new words, our response will be the same that we gave to Bush during the past years,” he added.

Ahmadinejad will run for office again in Iran’s presidential election on June 12.

Tension between the two nations, which severed diplomatic relations almost three decades ago, soared over Iran’s contested nuclear drive, which many in the West fear is a cover for a secret atomic weapons program.

Bush—who famously declared Iran part of an “axis of evil”—refused to talk to Tehran until it stopped sensitive nuclear fuel work, but on Monday Obama extended a diplomatic hand.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that a U.S. envoy would join multilateral talks next week on Iran’s nuclear program.

“With respect to Iran, there is a clear opportunity for the Iranians, as the president expressed in his interview, to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community,” Clinton told reporters.

Washington’s U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice, also pledged “direct” nuclear diplomacy with Tehran if it halts uranium enrichment, a process which makes fuel for nuclear plants but can be diverted to make the core of an atomic bomb.

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council—Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States—plus Germany (known as P5-plus-1) have offered Tehran economic and energy incentives in exchange for halting uranium enrichment.

But Tehran is pressing on with the work, insisting that its nuclear program is peaceful and solely geared toward electricity generation.

The Security Council has already adopted four resolutions demanding an enrichment freeze, including three which imposed sanctions on Iran for its defiance.

Representatives of the P5-plus-1 are expected to meet again next week in Germany.

On Wednesday, Ahmadinejad said Tehran would “wait, see and listen to what they (the United States) say and then consider what they do. If there is a real change, we will welcome it.”

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 102 Total Comments Show All

unscrejects at 11:38 PM JST - 30th January

lolte... Ignorance or denial there. Start with the removal of the head of state and placing that Palavi character as shah. Oh why bother you'll never understand until the chickens come home to roost...
Madverts at 01:11 AM JST - 31st January

" If you've ever lived in Arab lands, even an Arab neighborhood in America (I do), you'll know FORCE is the only thing respected and taken seriously."

What about Persians then?
Helter_Skelter at 05:53 AM JST - 31st January

Well said, zkna0
SiouxGirl at 06:06 AM JST - 31st January

islamotoko at 02:44 AM JST - 30th January

Americans need to agree to the jurisdiction of the international criminal court like the rest of the world. Americans can then finally begin to compensate for all the damage they have caused world-wide.

Most of us don't know anything about what the U.S. really does in the world because we're kept in the dark. We don't get the real news. The real news is easier to access now, however, thx to the internet.
likeitis at 04:11 PM JST - 31st January

zkna0 at 12:21 PM JST - 30th January

OMG! I cannot believe anyone is simple enough to back up that crap.

Nobody knew jack about whether Reagan would use force or not minutes after he was sworn in. And that was when the hostages were released, and released ALIVE I might add. The genius idea of using force would have ended up with a lot of them dead.

ALREADY two Gitmo detainees are ready to attack America. Smooth move, Ex-Lax obama!

Obama was sworn in ten days ago! He has as much do with the release of Gitmo prisoners as Reagan did the release of the Iran Crisis Hostages!

Dear GOD but it is APPAULING how some of you are HARD CORE set on seeing WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE, despite clear evidence to the contrary and anything that would pass for the judgmental ability of an average 15 year old!
likeitis at 04:56 PM JST - 31st January

Pretty footloose with your view of history. Any country on the planet pursues a foreign policy that is in its own National interest first.

What does the first sentence have to do with the second? What is footloose is your nasty habit of mixing unrelated things to get a result you like, particularly completely at the expense of right and wrong.

Of course a country's foreign policy is set up to further its own national interest. But its sad that your attention span will only allow for one thing at a time. Because of that, all sense of right and wrong seems to get completely lost with you just to further your interests.

Please tell if you disagree with any of the below assessments made in the context of the world in 1952.

Even assuming its completely true, there are ways to go about averting the disaster: right ones and wrong ones. A wrong one was chosen. It says right at the top that Iran was a sovereign and independent nation. You got to respect that. If you cannot respect that, you are no friend. You are the enemy. You are no better than the Soviets.

And you greatly exaggerate the Soviet connection to N.K.

But greater men than myself have declared the whole thing a smokescreen. One thing I note all by myself is that the Soviets already had access to oil. They hardly need to invade Iran to get it. And its not like they were directly involved in the Korean War unlike us, and really needed more oil. Correct me if I am wrong. But even if so, are going to tell me that all it took was one Shah to keep the Soviets out?

Instead of an apology, Iran owes us a debt of thanks for keeping the Soviets out and invading their country. The Soviets had to settle in latter years just for invading Afghanistan instead.

More seeing of what you want to see. Anything but admit to wrongdoing. Cowardly. Very little boyish.

Even if our action had kept the Soviets out, the Iranian people would be free by now, instead of living under two successive oppressive regimes. Is one better than the other?

And I scarcely think you understand that the reason Soviet troops went to Afghanistan were the same as why our troops went to Vietnam: they were asked to be there. (although I still would not get involved).

A great reason we have wars in this world is because of manipulative, cowardly people with a very selective sense of right and wrong on both sides. People who stomp and stammer and will lash out and spin in order to avoid having to apologize. People just like you Sail.
likeitis at 04:59 PM JST - 31st January

The real news is easier to access now, however, thx to the internet.

But so are the lies. So are the lies.
likeitis at 05:02 PM JST - 31st January

Superlib: Is that OK?

No. Its not. There are enough smokescreens and bullcrap out there without you adding to it. If you want to make a statement like that you should either back it up with something or not make the statement.
sailwind at 05:11 PM JST - 31st January

A great reason we have wars in this world is because of manipulative, cowardly people with a very selective sense of right and wrong on both sides. People who stomp and stammer and will lash out and spin in order to avoid having to apologize. People just like you Sail.

I'm sorry if my post offended you.

Gee, was that an apology?

Now back to your fit now about the U.S needing to apologize for being the leader of the free world.
wuzzademcrat at 05:45 PM JST - 31st January

likeitis:And you greatly exaggerate the Soviet connection to N.K. But greater men than myself have declared the whole thing a smokescreen.

Can you name them?
benhur at 03:04 AM JST - 1st February

oh boy... here we go again! lol

testing the water, eh?
johancohen at 05:03 AM JST - 1st February

who's apology are we talking about here? iran's the one with the criminal conduct against the U.S. and Israel, ahmad's ticket to jail... disbarring him from any public appearances would be a fitting tribute to his pedantic mismanagement.
TheTim at 08:12 AM JST - 1st February

Obama is doing NO apologizing until Ahmadinejad , or rather "I'm-a-nut-job", apolgoizes for the hostages. Hopefully naive Obama is starting to get a clue why Bush never gave him the time of day.
marvenp at 02:29 PM JST - 3rd February

Didn't bother reading the article because it's ridiculous to think Obama has to apologize for anything. The only thing that Obama has responsibility for are the decisions he's made since Tuesday January 20, 2009.
rajakumar at 12:56 AM JST - 4th February

US and Iranians have not need for this apologies issues,they need to up tourism between iran and USA to up people to people contact.

Heard US women badminton team in Iran,more sport/economic ties like these needed.