Tehran, April 22, IRNA -- Chinese President Jiang Zemin wound up a four-day
visit of Iran and left for Beijing Monday morning. He was seen off at Mehrabad
International Airport by Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Mohsen
Aminzadeh. Earlier, on Saturday, President Mohammad Khatami bid a formal goodbye
to the Chinese president at Sa'dabad cultural complex. During his stay in Iran,
President Jiang met and conferred with the country's top-ranking officials
including the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei,
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, Majlis Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and Chairman
of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on various subjects including
Tehran-Beijing regional and international cooperation, the Mideast crisis and
the outrageous crimes recently committed by the Zionist regime in occupied
Palestine. Presidents Jiang and Khatami, in their meeting on Saturday, pledged
to increase cooperation to promote bilateral and economic ties, reinforce world
peace, fight violence, terrorism and attempts to establish a unipolar world and
strengthen respect for the interests and rights of world nations.
The Chinese president was received by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei on Sunday. During their meeting, the Supreme Leader
told the Chinese president that the Islamic Republic of Iran is keen to develop
relations with China. Ayatollah Khamenei also told the Chinese leader that Iran
will harness all its capacities to strengthen bilateral cooperation with China
in line with the two countries' acceptance of the common principles of
independence and national identity. The Leader, referring to international
developments and, in particular the situation in the Middle East, said that the
United States, with its political and military power, is trying to impose its
views on the world community. "This has has created a great threat to all
countries and for this reason it is important that the international community
oppose Washington's wrong stance in order to save humanity from destruction,"
the Leader pointed out. Ayatollah Khamenei said that the United States is
wilfully ignoring the crimes of Israel and its sponsorship of terrorism against
innocent Palestinians and, moreover, is calling the legitimate Palestinians'
resistance to the Israeli military operations as "terrorism." "This
is the worst kind of stance in the current, alarming situation in Palestine,"
the Leader said.
While in the country, the Chinese president paid tribute to the Founder of the
Islamic Republic, the late Imam Khomeini, by visiting the latter's mausoleum on
Sunday. Jiang Zemin, the first Chinese president to visit the Islamic Republic
after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, arrived on Thursday in the southern Iranian
city of Shiraz and immediately toured the city's ancient historical sites.
Heading a 180-member economic and political delegation, his visit was the last
leg of a five-nation tour which had already taken him to Nigeria, Germany, Libya
and Tunisia, and in response to a visit to China of President Mohammad Khatami
in 2000. He arrived in the capital Tehran late Friday to start talks on a wide
range of political and economic subjects with high-ranking Iranian officials.
During his four-day stay here, Iran and China concluded six agreements on
economic, scientific and cultural cooperation and regional development. The
agreements, once implemented by both sides, will make Beijing one of Tehran's
most important trade partners. The agreements provide for mutual cooperation in
oil, gas, trade, transportation and information technology (IT) development as
well as enhancement of educational and cultural exchanges.
:irna 11:36
Tehran, April 22, IRNA -- President Mohammad Khatami here Sunday evening met
the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prior to his
departure for Ashkhabad. Khamenei wished the Iranian president success in his
five-nation tour to the Central Asian nations. President Khatami is to arrive in
Ashkhabad Monday to hold talks with Turkmen officials before a regional summit
there to discuss the legal status for the Caspian Sea.
:irna 16:51
Tehran, April 21, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed
Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is keen to develop
relations with China. In a meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin, the
Supreme Leader said that Iran favors utilization of all its capacities to foster
bilateral cooperation with China in line with the two countries' common
principles of safeguarding their independence and national identity. The Leader
said that Iran and China have excellent relations adding that they are expected
to make efforts to use all capacities to boost cooperation and seriously work to
remove obstacles in this respect. The Supreme Leader said that Asia enjoys
wide-scale capacity to develop regional cooperation. The Leader also lauded the
idea of fostering cooperation among Iran, China and India.
The Leader, referring to the international developments especially the situation
in the Middle East, said that the United States by taking advantage of its
political and military power attempts to impose its own views on the world
community. "This has posed a great threat to all countries and for this
reason the international community is required to oppose Washington's wrong
stance in order to save the future of humanity," the Leader pointed out.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the United States ignored the crimes being
committed by Israel and its state terrorism against Palestinians and describes
the Palestinians' resistance to Israeli military operations against defenseless
people as terrorism. This is the worst kind of stance toward the alarming
situation in Palestine, the Leader said. The Leader said that the extent of the
humanitarian tragedy created by the Zionist regime in Palestine (in the West
Bank towns particularly in Jenin refugee camp) is so horrific that it has harmed
the conscience of the international community. Ayatollah Khamenei added that the
Arab and other independent states should undertake their role to help
Palestinians vindicate their rights. The Supreme Leader said that the European
states have stayed clear of the United States over the situation in Palestine
and they no longer support the US stance on the Middle East. "The
Palestinians are defending themselves under the heaviest military attacks.
Supporting this people is the ethical duty of all countries," the Leader
pointed out. The Islamic Republic of Iran extends moral support to the
Palestinian nation and regards Israel as "usurper" and believes that
Iran's views will gradually receive global acceptance, the Leader said.
President Zemin expressed pleasure with his visit to Iran and said that Iran is
a country with ancient civilization. He called for boosting of Tehran-Beijing
relations. He said that he had held successful negotiations with Iranian
officials in Tehran on cooperation in the field of energy, transport,
telecommunications and heavy industries adding that Tehran and Beijing enjoy
excellent and growing relations and all capacities should be explored in this
respect. On the international issues, the Chinese president said that Iran and
China have common stance toward the international developments adding that the
US extortionist and hegemonic policies have faced global objection. President
Zemin said that Israel should immediately withdraw from the occupied territories
and the international community should help the Palestinians get their rights.
He said that China condemns any form of terrorism and added, "We believe
that terrorism should be dealt with on the basis of valid evidence and the
international campaign against terrorism should not breach international
regulations or carried out unilaterally." President Mohammad Khatami was
also present in the meeting.
:irna 17:13
Tehran, April 14, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed
Ali Khamenei issued a condolence message, address to the family and relatives of
Dr. Yadollah Sahabi who died on Friday, Saturday evening. The full text of the
supreme leader's condolence message received here at IRNA late Saturday night is
as follows: In the name of Allah the Compassionate the Merciful I console all
the esteemed children and the whole family of the late noble Dr. Yadollah Sahabi,
on the occasion of his demise. That old scientific, cultural and political
personality spent long years of his prolific life painstakingly, preseveringly
and faithfully in the path of realization of what he believed in. His main
efforts were aimed, firstly at annihilation of the erroneous accusation that
religion and sciences are two contradictory subjects, that was propagated by
certain figures with diverted temptations, repeatedly. He also opposed the idea
that propagated secularism. During some chapters of that consecutive, long and
holy struggle, he resorted to cultural methods as his means, and during other
chapters, to political maneuvers. The years he spent in prison in of the
despotic Iranian monarchy, was the expense he paid for those valuable deeds. The
late Dr. Sahabi had a pious, truthful, and resistant personality and was gifted
also with high spirits. During the era of the Islamic Republic of Iran, after
the period when he got out of the executive and law making bodies, his
differences of opinion with some official authorities did not push him into the
realms of injustice or spiteful deeds. He was a pious, acting Muslim, and his
righteous deeds were based on his beliefs. I pray to Exalted Allah to embrace
his soul in His endless blessings most generously, and to make the sphere in
which he dwells now, an era of relaxation and being emerged in Allah's
forgiveness; By His Utmost Generousness and Benevolence; Seyed Ali Khamenei
April 13, 2001
:irna 02:19
Tehran, April 6, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali
Khamenei on Saturday appreciated the performance of the Expediency Council and
termed the constitutional provision to this effect as the strong point of the
Constitution. In a meeting with new members of the Expediency Council, the
Supreme Leader said that the Expediency Council is a constitutional body to make
breakthrough in running the state of affairs, on one hand, and drawing up the
strategy of the Islamic Republic, on the other. The Leader said that the
Expediency Council is constitutionally empowered to take the final decision when
the government system stands in need. The Supreme Leader appreciated the hard
work of the Expediency councilors who observe the Islamic law and the sentiments
of the people in taking the final decision. "The Expediency Council helps
the government system avoid a deadlock," the Supreme Leader said adding
that the constitutional body has given a dynamic nature to the Islamic Republic.
The Supreme Leader offered guidelines to the body to boost its efficiency in
line with the requirements of the government system and said that the
constitutional body is expected to clarify and update the preferences that
should be put on the agenda of policy making and planning. The Leader called on
the Expediency Council to supervise running the administrative affairs and
report to the Supreme Leader while avoiding any interference in the Executive
affairs. Prior to the Leader's remarks, Chairman of the Expediency Council
Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani presented a report on the performance of the
body. He said that the body has completed a procedural plan to supervise the
administrative affairs and provide regular report to the Supreme Leader. The
Expediency Council arbitrates on legal and theological questions in legislation
passed by the Majlis, in the event of a dispute with the Guardians Council. Its
permanent members are Heads of the Legislature, Judiciary, and the Executive and
the six jurist members of the Guardians Council and the minister or the head of
the government organization concerned with the pertinent arbitration as well as
a dozen of new members elected on March 16.
:irna 20:01
TEHRAN TIMES POLITICAL DESK TEHRAN The Leader of the Islamic Revolution,
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, said on Friday that the United States is complicit
in Zionist crimes because of its full support of the usurper regime, and called
on the Islamic world to support the oppressed Palestinian nation against the
Israeli brutalities.
The Leader said that the Zionist regime, backed by the U.S. administration, was
engaged in creating one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes in the history
of mankind inside occupied Palestine and encouraged Arab and Islamic countries
to launch an oil embargo against Israel and its allies and supporters.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that his proposed oil embargo, which would be similar to
the United States' use of wheat as a strategic weapon, did not necessarily have
to last forever, and could be implemented "symbolically" and for only
one month.
The Leader further pointed to the stances taken by world and Western leaders in
recent days and said the United States had adopted the worst position and fully
supported the Zionist crimes.
Referring to the Thursday night speech of U.S. President George W. Bush, the
Leader said, "This man, while supporting Zionist crimes, has simply called
for a halt in construction of settlements. But all know that the beasts who run
the Zionist regime never listen to such recommendations," he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei went on to say that stances taken by Bush on different issues
and his withdrawal from important international treaties has shown that the U.S.
position was diametrically opposed to world peace and asked who was running the
U.S. administration behind the scenes.
On Bush's calling the Palestinians "terrorist" the Leader asked,
"Can a nation which has been a victim of Israeli suppression and crimes for
years and sends its young people out to defend them be called terrorist? Or is
the regime which destroys houses and topples them onto their residents terrorist?
Referring to the failure of Adolph Hitler's Nazism and the U.S. defeat in
Vietnam, the Leader said that the U.S. logic of the bully was doomed to failure
too.
The Iranian Leader also praised Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's decision not
to yield to the Zionist pressure, and to resist until probable martyrdom.
During the first sermon of Tehran's Friary prayers at the central campus of
Tehran University, attended by thousands of worshippers, the Leader said that
the intensity and depth of the ongoing Israeli crimes are unprecedented and
asked the Islamic world's nations to support the oppressed Palestinian nation
financially.
The Leader stated: "The Zionist regime, as the symbol of blood-thirstiness,
barbarianism, and indifference to all the rules of ethics and human rights, is
standing on one side (of the Middle East crisis) and the desperate, brave and
oppressed Palestinian nation, on the other side."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the reality of the ongoing crisis in occupied
Palestine is that a well-arrayed nation (the Palestinians) is bravely defending
itself against the usurpers of its motherland.
Inviting the global community and the world's collective conscience to make an
unbiased judgment about the ongoing realities in Palestine, the ayatollah said,
"Although the Zionists have exerted their hegemony over most of the world
news media, even the limited and censored image of the ongoing crisis there,
which shows only bits and pieces of the horrendous reality in Palestine today,
can help the global conscience reach a just judgment on the issue."
Inviting the world's Christians to voice their collective objection towards the
Zionist military incursion into the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem during
which a priest was killed, Ayatollah Khamenei added, "The Palestine issue
is not only an Islamic issue, but one with global dimensions in which the
humanity of all mankind is at stake. Therefore, every human being is entitled to
judge it and react to it, using human ethics and values."
He added that freedom-seeking Palestinian groups had found out that the enemy
was unable to withstand martyrdom-seeking actions. He called Yasser Arafat's
voicing readiness for martyrdom a good stance and said, "The Palestinian
people have chosen the path of martyrdom and we hope Palestinian leaders stand
by their positions, too."
He also said that talks and negotiations with the Zionist regime would bear no
fruit, since the regime did not respect any international or UN resolutions.
The Leader repeated Iran's proposal for solving the Palestinian crisis, saying
that all Palestinian refugees should be allowed to return home and all
Palestine's residents should participate in a referendum to decide on the
government of the country.
He said that the proposal was in line with democratic and humanitarian values
and seemed to be the only logical and feasible solution, which other Arab and
Muslim states should support.
He also called on the United Nations and other human rights organizations to
more actively defend the Palestinians and to support them financially and
materially.
In the meantime, the Iranian nation held rallies in several cities across the
country after Friday prayers.
In Tehran, the demonstrators voiced their solidarity with the Palestinian nation
until the Holy Qods is liberated.
In their resolution at the end of the rally, the demonstrators announced their
revulsion with the brutalities of the Zionist regime, saying the Iranian nation
would support their Palestinian brothers until their land is freed of the
Israeli occupation.
Chanting anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans, the demonstrators said that the
U.S. is complicit in the Israeli crimes and denounced all U.S. support of the
Israeli regime
Tehran, April 5, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali
Khamenei said here Friday that the Zionist regime, backed by the US
administration, is currently engaged in creating one of the deepest human
catastrophes in the history of mankind inside occupied Palestine and encouraged
the Arab and Islamic countries to launch an oil embargo against Israel and its
allies and supporters. Ayatollah Khamenei said that his proposed oil embargo,
that is similar to the United states usage of wheat as a strategic weapon, does
not necessarily have to last for good, and can be applied "symbolically"
and merely for one month. The Iranian leader also praised Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat's decision not to yield to the Zionists' pressure, and to resist
until probable martyrdom. During the fist sermon of Tehran's Friary Prayer,
performed at the central campus of Tehran University for thousands of worshipers,
which was led by Ayatollah Khamenei this week, the leader also evaluated the
intensity and depth of the ongoing Israeli crimes as "rarely-precedented"
and asked the Islamic world nations to support the oppressed Palestinian nation
financially. The leader further reiterated: "the Zionist regime, as the
symbol of blood-thirstiness, barbarianism, and observing nonchalance towards all
rules of ethics and human rights is standing on one side (of the Middle East
crisis) and the desperate, brave and oppressed Palestinian nation, on the other
side." Ayatollah Khamenei said that the reality of the ongoing crisis in
occupied Palestine is that a well-arrayed nation (the Palestinians), is bravely
defending against the usurpers of their motherland. Inviting the global
community and the world's collective conscience to have an unbiased judgment
about the ongoing realities in Palestine, the ayatollah emphasized: "although
the Zionists have exerted their hegemony over most of the world news media, even
the limited and censored portrait of the ongoing crisis there, which depicts
merely bits and pieces of the horrendous reality in Palestine today, can help
the global conscience reach a just judgment on the issue." Inviting the
world Christians to voice their collective objection towards the Zionist
military incursion into the holy Beit Lahm (Bethelhem) Church during which a
priest was killed, Ayatollah Khamenei added: "Palestine issue is not merely
an Islamic issue, but one with global dimensions in which humanity of the whole
mankind is at stake, and therefore, any human being is entitled to judge and
react about it, relying on human ethics and values." Referring to the
stands adopted by the European Union and other world countries against the moves
made by the Zionist regime, the leader said: "despite the collective global
reaction, the US administration has thus far adopted the worst possible stands,
defending the crimes and military operations of the Zionist army." Quoting
the US President (George W. Bush) in his last night address, in which he has
asked the Zionist regime to halt constructing Zionist townships inside
Palestinian territories, the leader said: "while fully supporting the
Zionists, and in order to partly adjust he US official stand, this person (Bush)
also asks for Israeli army's retreat from the recently occupied Palestinian
territories, while everyone know that the wild beasts ruling the Zionist regime
will never heed such remarks the slightest bit." Turning the focus of
attention to some of the other decisions made by President Bush, Ayatollah
Khamenei singled out the US decision to exit the global environmental treaty,
that country's leaving the Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABM) treaty, daily
threatening and continuous humiliation of the world nations, and inviting the
Western governments to join a coalition against the Eastern nations and the
world Muslims. The Iranian supreme leader further elaborated: "the stands
adopted by the US president (thus far) have all been in direct contrast with
global peace, and we must think and realize which hands behind the scene direct
him and the other US authorities (in that direction). Singling out (US President)
George (W.) Bush's stand where he labels the Palestinian nation as "terrorists"
and justifies the Zionist regime's military incursions as "self-defense,"
the Iranian leader asked the global community, "Which one do you think is a
terrorist: a nation that is fed up with daily oppression and mass murder of its
members by the usurpers of its motherland, dedicating its best youth in the path
of struggle (for liberty) and martyrdom; or, the occupying Zionist regime that
has blocked all the ways ahead of that oppressed nation and destroys their
houses over their heads every day, using tanks, warplanes, and missiles, turning
more and more Palestinians into homeless refugees?" Ayatollah Khamenei
referred to continuous approvals of the Zionists' crimes by (various) US
administrations, reiterating: "had it not been due to the green light of
the US administration, the Zionist regime would have never dared to create the
current catastrophic conditions, and that is why the US administration shares
the responsibility for all the crimes committed by the Israeli army these days."
He said that Intifada is "the self-motivated uprising of a nation,"
adding, "no one can attribute that issue to (the interference of) another
government or nation, because the Palestinian nation has rushed to confront the
Zionist regime relying on its own dignity, self-esteem, and conscience."
Ruling out numerous accusations of the US president against Iran and a few other
countries regarding interference in Palestinian issue, the leader added: "adopting
such stands merely leads to global wrath and hatred against (the United States
of) America and today there is no country as hated as America throughout the
Islamic world." Ayatollah Khamenei further justified: "that is a fact
crystallized in the enthusiastic support of the world nations for the
Palestinians, and their wrath towards the Zionists and their supporters, which
is easy to understand." The leader said that the logic based on which the
US foreign policy is designed is that country's (military) power, adding: "earlier
(in world history, Adolf) Hitler intended to do the same, but both the crushing
defeat of Nazism, and the shameful defeat of (the United States of) America in
Vietnam, have proven the fact that relying on gun power results in nothing, but
defeat and self-humiliation." Ayatollah Khamenei said that the resolute
will and strong belief of nations (in God) has been the source of
invulnerability of nations during the course of the history, adding: "God's
(immense) power is the major support for the the nations' power, and anyone
wishing to challenge the nations' will and power will be crushed and annihilated,
and that will be the doomed end for (the United States of) America. Iran's
supreme leader further said: "the inescapable aftermath of the ongoing
events inside the occupied Palestine is definitely a crushing defeat for the
Zionist regime, and such combatant Palestinian organizations as Hamas, Fatah,
the People's Front for Liberation of Palestine, the Islamic Jihad and other
groups have rightly realized the fact that the enemy is impotent in the face of
their martyrdom-seeking (moves)." He described (Palestinian President
Yasser) Arafat's announcement that he is ready to embrace martyrdom as "an
appropriate stand" reiterating: "the whole Palestinian nation has
chosen the path of martyrdom, and I hope the authorities of the Palestinian
self-rule, too, would stick tight to that stand and never yield (to the enemies'
demands)." Referring to the Zionist regime's total nonchalance towards
international norms and the U.N. (Security Council) resolutions, Ayatollah
Khamenei evaluated any kind of negotiation with that regime as "futile"
and "a move in the wrong direction." He said: "the present
condition in Ramallah and (Israel's) attack against the Palestinian Authority
headquarters there are samples of srael's total indifference and lack of
responsibility towards the agreements it has previously signed, and therefore,
talking with them will bear no fruit in the future either." Stressing once
again on Iran's formerly proposed solution for the Middle East crisis through
staging a referendum in which all real residents of Palestine would participate,
the ayatollah said: "all Palestinian refugees should return to their
motherland, and then, all the members of the Palestinian nation, including the
Muslims, the Christians and the Jews would choose the type of their desired
political system." Ayatollah Khamenei added: "this proposal is based
on the soul of democracy and the rules of human rights, is quite logical, and
very practical, and therefore, I encourage all Arab and Islamic countries, as
well as all other world nations, governments, and global communities to aim at
its realization." Criticizing the weak outcome of the recent Beirut Arab
Summit, as well as the Kuala Lumpur OIC ministerial summit, the Iranian leader
once again called upon the Arab and Islamic nation to launch an oil embargo
against Israel and the countries that have friendly relations with the Zionist
regime. Referring to the US governments' use of wheat and other food stuff as
strategic weapons, the leader proposed: "if the Islamic countries would
similarly and in response (to Zionists' crimes) take advantage of this means (oil
embargo), and only for one single month, in order to prove their real support
for the Palestinian nation, stop exporting their oil to Israel and its allies
and friends, it (their decision in this regard) would shake the whole world."
Among the other effective measures that "the Islamic world should seriously
consider," Ayatollah Khamenei referred to severing all political and
economic ties with the Zionist regime, reiterating: "such moves would be
cherished by the nations and those governments that would adopt them will be
supported by their nations, just as those who have covert relations with the
occupiers of Palestine seriously enrage their nations." Stressing on the
need for active participation of the United Nations and the human rights
activists and organizations' providing monetary, food, and medical assistance
for the Palestinian nation urgently, the leader said: "the Iranian nation
has always voluntarily pioneered supporting and assisting the oppressed
Palestinian nation. Ayatollah Khamenei said: "today, if any Muslim in the
world would contribute only 1,000 toomans (about one US dollar and twenty cents)
to the Palestinian cause, a huge capital would be acquired for that oppressed
nation.'
:irna 02:00