THE Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinezhad has said that Iran wishes to have talks with the West on a whole range of issues.
He was speaking to a mass meeting in Qazvin province where workers have been demonstrating against privatisation and unemployment.
He said: ‘We call for the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction. The move by a few countries to pile up their nuclear stockpile while trying to curtail other countries’ scientific progress belongs to previous eras.
‘I want to speak about the nuclear issue here. We have said it before and say it here again to the people of Qazvin. The Iranian people will never discuss their irrefutable and inalienable rights with anyone.
‘We are a nation that strives to establish dialogues. We would like to discuss world issues, mutual concerns and work towards dispelling misunderstandings – on the international stage.
‘But we will never discuss with anyone how to live our lives, decide for ourselves, how to behave, what technology to use and how to build our economy.
‘Our talks will be within an international framework aimed at dispelling mutual concerns. Those who wish to discuss our independence, sovereignty and destiny with us must know that they are seriously mistaken.
‘And no matter what we may talk about, the talks should take place in a fair atmosphere and based on equality and fairness. If they think that they threaten us on the one hand and, as they say, they hold a stick over the Iranian nation’s head and on the other hand call for holding talks; they should know that the Iranian nation will rule out such a thing. There will be no room for talks in such an atmosphere.
‘As regards the nuclear issue, we want justice for all. If anything is going to happen, it should happen for everybody on equal basis. And if something is not going to happen, it should be the same for everybody. If there are rights in the world, they should belong to all of the nations on equal basis. And if someone is to be deprived of his rights, this deprivation should be for all.
‘We believe it is time for some Western countries to make a big choice. We believe that during recent decades a few Western countries violated other countries’ rights with selfishness, power-seeking and unilateralism. They made an atmosphere of threats, discrimination and insecurity. They gave rise to many wars and crimes. They gave rise to many enmities, distances and doubts.
‘Now they are facing a historical choice. They have only two options. Either they should submit to justice and give up their arrogance and power-seeking position and join other nations to work towards global peace and security or they should know that soon the uprising nations will slap them in the face and that they have to leave the global scene and be isolated.’
The Iranian president continued: ‘They think that they can introduce a split in our ranks and hinder the nation’s victory. We should be intelligent and sober. Any hand that wants to introduce splits in the ranks of our nation is not the hand of the Iranian nation. It is the hand of strangers which should be cut off by the powerful hand of the nation.
‘Any language which translates into fulfilling the enemy’s wishes, strives to disturb the unity of a nation, tries to destroy hope and undermine the efforts to construct the country is not an insider tongue. This is an alien rhetoric.
‘Our nation must deliver an unequivocal response and a decisive blow to such elements. I am sure that our dear nation, as it has remained steadfast so far, will continue on the same dignified path. Our enemies should know that – whether the Iranian nation participates in talks or refuses to engage in dialogues; whether you take an angry posture or not; whether you are on the side of the nation or not; whether you follow the same path as other nations or go down a slippery slope – you must know that the Iranian nation will not abandon its development and aspiration to acquire advanced technology.’
He continued: ‘And now let me speak about domestic issues. Today, our most important duty is the development of our dear country. We must develop every part of Iran. The government has drafted specific programmes aimed at developing the country. You know that the greater part of the government’s time and effort are invested in developing the country.
‘From every 100 meetings, 98 are on how to develop the country and remove the problems in various economic, industrial and agricultural fields. One of the government’s most important programmes in the construction era is to create jobs and to fight against the backbreaking unemployment in the country.
‘Job creation, especially for the dear youth of our Islamic homeland, is on the top of the government’s agenda.
‘Many programmes have been prepared which will be gradually announced. With the youth and officials’ effort, the problem of unemployment will be, God willing, quickly resolved.
‘We intend to indigenize industries. When the youth of a country can gain access to the most complicated technologies, including the production of nuclear fuel, other technologies are accessible to them. We will therefore limit imports and pave the way for domestic production.
‘Import of parts and equipment for industries, refineries and projects should be minimised. Parts and equipment should be rather manufactured inside the country.
‘Unfortunately, in the path of construction, we face obstacles. One of these obstacles is the transfer of industry to the private sector. This has not served the interests of the nation.
‘For example, the transfer of Naz-Nakh, Mah-Nakh and Kuroghlu factories. Those people who have taken over the factories have failed to stand by their commitments, and sections of the most valuable workforces of our country, i.e. the honourable workers, now face the problem of not receiving monthly wages, their unemployment benefit or bonuses.
‘We have said that this form of privatisation is contrary to the interests of the nation.
‘God willing, the principle of privatisation and the transfer of industries will be administered in the form of the ‘justice stocks’ for all people. And those small sectors that are transferred under privatisation must fall under all the terms necessary to safeguard the interests of the nation and the workers.
‘I hope that the government, in its meeting in Qazvin Province, will be able to solve the problems of these four factories, and to open the way for productivity and employment.’
He added: ‘We must unite and build our dear country’.
He then spoke about the importance of Qazvin.
‘Let me say this: Qazvin is the birth place of scholars, mystics, writers, warriors, and brave and pious people.’
The president continued to speak about the role model Abu Turabi.
‘I remember Mr Abu Turabi from 1355 (1976) when we went to the central desert in middle of the summer and its infinite heat. After the noon prayers there was a meeting at a village mosque where some of the activists were present. Suddenly we saw a radiant man of God come into the meeting. We asked who he was. People said he is Mr Ali. He was living in hiding at that time. We asked why he had come to this area?
‘They said he has come for self-development. He came in the month of Mordad (month beginning 23 July). During the day he fasts and walks across the desert to prepare himself for the days ahead and fight against the oppressive powers.
‘On that day no one knew that in a very near future Abu Turabi had to shoulder a historical mission. No one knew that a knowledgeable spiritual cleric would rise at the heart of the hateful enemy’s camp and in the midst of the most violent animosities and single-handedly and under the enemy’s spearheads organise more than 40,000 freedom fighters, raise every one of them to the status of role models for resilience and freedom, protect them and their resistance, faith, love and hope, and then return them healthy and proud to their dear Islamic homeland.’
He concluded: ‘I hope that the visit to Qazvin by the cabinet ministers, and the cabinet meeting in Qazvin will bring about hope and joy for you the people of Qazvin. I wish to thank you all and wish you success and victory.’