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CNN Live Event/Special

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Addresses United Nations General Assembly

Aired September 25, 2007 - 16:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): In the name of God, the compassionate and the merciful, oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory and make us his followers and those who attest to his rightfulness.
Mr. President, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased and grateful to the almighty to have the opportunity once again to attend this important universal forum.

In the present tumultuous world, and with the predominance of loud outcries, threats and tensions, and at a time when the big powers are unable to solve present problems, when mistrust in regional and international arenas is on the rise, when the psychological security of societies is being targeted by an onslaught of political and propaganda designs, and disappointment prevails over efficacy of policies and actions of the international organizations in the establishment of a durable peace and security, and the protection of human rights is being weakened, I plan to touch upon and explain the roots of and the ways out of these predicaments and some of the principal challenges facing our world.

I will also speak to you about the need for remedying the present situation, prospects for a brighter and more hopeful future, and about the appearance of the sublime and beauty, compassion and generosity, justice, and blossoming of all the God-given human talents, and the prominence of faith in God, and realization of the promise of God.

I will then submit to your judgment the nuclear issue of Iran as a reality and testing ground for the measurement of honesty, efficacy, steadfastness and accomplishment.

In the closing part of my statement, I will offer my proposals.

Dear friends and colleagues, as you are all aware, mankind is currently facing important, numerous, and diverse challenges. And I will refer to some of them: one, organized attempts to destroy the institution of family and to weaken the status of women.

Family is the most sacred and valuable human institution that serves as the center of the purest mutual love and affection amongst mothers, fathers, and children, and as a safe environment for the nurturing of human generations, and a fertile ground for the blossoming of talents and compassion.

This institution has always been respected by all peoples, religions and cultures. Today, we are witnessing an organized invasion by the enemies of humanity and plunderers to destroy this noble institution that is targeted by promoting lewdness, violence, and by breaking the boundaries of chastity and decency.

The precious existence of women, as the manifestation of divine beauty and as the peak of kindness, affection, and purity, has been the target of heavy exploitation in recent decades by the holders of power and the owners of media and wealth.

In some societies, this beloved human has been reduced to a mere instrument of publicity and all the boundaries and protective shields of chastity, purity and beauty have been trampled. This is a colossal betrayal of human society, of succeeding generations and an irreparable blow to the pillar of social coherence -- the family.

Two -- widespread violations of human rights, terrorism and occupation.

Unfortunately, human rights are being extensively violated by certain powers, especially by those who pretend to be their exclusive advocates. Setting up secret prisons, abducting persons, trials and secret punishments without any regard to due process, extensive tapping of telephone conversations, intercepting private mail and frequent summons to police and security centers have become commonplace and prevalent. They prosecute scientists and historians for stating their opinions on important global issues.

They use various pretexts to occupy sovereign states and cause insecurity and division and then use the prevailing situation as an excuse to continue their occupation. For more than 60 years, Palestine, as compensation for the loss they incurred during the war in Europe, has been under occupation of the illegal Zionist regime. The Palestinian people have been displaced or are under heavy military pressure, economic siege or are incarcerated under abhorrent conditions. The occupiers are protected and praised, while the innocent Palestinians are subjected to political, military and propaganda onslaughts.

The people of Palestine are deprived of water, electricity and medicine for the sin of asking for freedom. And the government that was freely elected by the people is targeted. Terrorists are being organized to attack the lives and property of the people with the blessings of the politicians and military officials of the big powers.

The brutal Zionists carry out targeted assassinations of Palestinians in their home and cities and terrorists are decorated with medals of peace and receive support from the big powers. On the other hand, they gather a number of Jews from different parts of the world, through false propaganda and with the promise of providing them with welfare, jobs and food, and settle them in the Occupied Territories, exposing them to the harshest restrictions, psychological pressures and constant threats. They prevent these people from returning to their homelands and by coercion and propaganda induce them to malevolence toward the indigenous Palestinian people.

Iraq was occupied under the pretext of overthrowing a dictator and the existence of weapons of mass destruction. The Iraqi dictator, who had been supported by the same occupiers was disposed of and no weapons of mass destruction were discovered. But the occupation continues under different excuses. No day passes without people being killed, wounded or displaced. And the occupiers not only refuse to be accountable and ashamed of their adventure, but speak in a report of a new market for their armaments as a result of their military adventure. They even oppose the constitution, the national assembly and the government established by the vote of the people, while they do not even have the courage to declare their defeat and exit Iraq. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the bitter truth that some powers do not value any nation or human beings and the only things that matter to them are themselves, their political parties and their groups. In their view, human rights are tantamount to profits for their companies and their friends. The rights and dignity of the American people are also being sacrificed for the selfish desires of those holding power.

Three -- aggressions against indigenous cultures and national values.

Culture is the manifestation of identity and the key to the survival of nations and the foundation for their interaction with others. In an organized movement, indigenous cultures that are messengers of monotheism, love and fraternity are being subjected to broad and destructive aggressions. National customs and values are humiliated and the self-esteem and character of nations are ridiculed and defamed. The purpose is to promote blind emulations, consumerism, skepticism toward God and human values, and the plundering of the people's wealth by big powers.

Four -- poverty, illiteracy, health care issues and the gap between the poor and the rich.

While the major part of the natural environment in Asian, Africa and Latin America is being plundered by the political and economic domination of certain powers, the situation of poverty and depredation is very alarming. Let me draw your attention to some data issued by the United Nations.

Every day, close to 800 million people go to bed hungry and about 980 million suffer from absolute poverty, with less than $1 a day in purchasing power. People of 31 countries, equivalent to 9 percent of the world's population, have an average life expectancy of 46 years, which is 32 years less than the average of developed countries. The gap between the rich and the poor in some parts of the world has increased by 40 times. In many countries, the majority of the people are deprived of access to education and schooling. In developing countries, the maternal -- morality rate during pregnancy is 450 per 100,000. This ratio is seven in the richer nations and the ratio of morality of new births is 59 for developing countries and six for the richer nations. One third of deaths in the world, or 50,000 persons daily, result from poverty.

I believe this data clearly demonstrates the tragic situation dominating economic interactions in the world.

Five -- ignoring noble values and the promotion of deception and lies. Some powers sacrifice all human values, including honesty, purity and trust, for the advancement of their goals. They propagate skepticism and deception in their relationships between states and peoples. They lie openly, level baseless charges against others, act contrary to legal norms and damage the climate of trust and friendship. They openly abandon morality and noble values in their relations with others and substitute selfishness, supremacy, enmity and imposition for justice, respect for others, love, affection and honesty. They sacrifice all the good things and the sublime in life for their own greed.

Six -- violations of rules of international law and disrespect of commitments.

Some who were themselves the drafters of international law openly and easily violate it and apply discriminatory policies and double standards to others. They drafted disarmament regulations, but every day test and stockpile new generations of lethal weapons. They framed the charter of the United Nations, but show disrespect to the right of self-determination and independence of sovereign nations. They conveniently abrogate their formal treaties and do not yield to laws concerning protection of the environment. Most of the violations of international obligations are committed by a few global powers.

Seven -- escalation of threats and the arms race.

Some powers, whenever their logic fails, simply use the language of threat. The huge arms race casts a shadow of threat over the globe. The nations of Europe were the victims of two world wars and a number of other devastating conflicts and were subjected to the consequences of the cold war for many decades. Today they are living under the shadow of the threat and their interests, security and lands are endangered under the shadow of the arms race imposed by certain big powers. A bullying power allows itself the right to set up a missile system, makes the life of the people of the continent bitter and lays the ground for an arms race. Some rulers, who superficially appear to be powerful, believe the tools they have at hand can be used at any time and for any purpose and consequently threaten others and cast a shadow of insecurity over nations and regions.

International organizations and mechanisms clearly lack the capacity to overcome problems and challenges, to put in fair place fair and just relations and peace, fraternity and security. There is hardly any government or nation that places much hope in these mechanisms to secure its rights or defend its independence, territorial integrity and national interests.

Dear friends and colleagues, there are many more challenges than the ones I have enumerated and I know that one would have introduced more if one had wanted touch upon them. But I chose to confine myself to the ones I have stated.

Now the important and decisive question concerns the roots and causes of these challenges. The scientific and careful analysis shows that the root of the present situation lies in two fundamental factors. Without doubt, the first factor lies in the relations arising from the consequences of the Second World War. The victors of the war drew the road map for global domination and formulated their policies not on the basis of justice, but for ensuring the interests of the victors over the vanquished nations.

Therefore, the mechanisms arising from this approach and related policies have not been capable of finding just solutions for global solutions since 60 years ago. Some big powers still behave like the victors of the World War and regard other states and nations, even those that had nothing to do with the war, as the vanquished, and humiliate other nations and demand extortion from a condescending position similar to that of the master/servant relationship of the Medieval ages. They believe that they should have more rights than others and also are not accountable to any international organizations.

Mr. President, among all the infective bodies, unfortunately, the U.N. Security Council ranks first. They have created circumstances in which some powers, with exclusive and the special right to veto in the Security Council, act as prosecutor, judge and executioner, regardless of being a defendant or respondent. It is natural that countries that have been subjected to those powers' infringement of their rights have no hope in getting what they deserve from the Council. Unfortunately, humanity has witnessed that in all long wars, like the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the war of the Zionists against the Palestinians and against Lebanon, the war of Saddam against the people of Iran, and the ethnic wars of Europe and Africa, one of the members of the Security Council was one of the belligerents or supported one party against the other -- usually the aggressor or the conflict itself.

Let's look at Iraq. They first occupied the country and then received authorization from the Security Council -- the same Council in which the same occupiers have the right of veto.

Who should the people of Iraq complain about and to where should they take their complaints, with hopes of securing their rights?

We saw in Lebanon that some powers, for a long 33 days, prevented the Security Council from taking any action against the Zionist regime with the hope of giving them time to achieve victory.

However, when they became disappointed in seeing their hopes unfulfilled, they decided to cease the hostility by adopting a resolution. But the duty of the Security Council is to prevent the expansion of conflicts, to put in place cease-fires and to promote peace and safety.

To whom and to what organization should the people of Lebanon complain?

Excellencies, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, the presence of some monopolistic powers has prevented the Security Council from performing its main duty, which is the maintenance of international peace and security based on justice. The credibility of the Council has been tarnished and its efficacy in defending the rights of the U.N. member states has been undermined. Many nations have lost their confidence in the Council. Some other mechanisms, such as the monetary and banking mechanisms, are in the same undesirable situation, and have been turned into tools for the imposition of wishes of some powers on other nations.

It is evident that these mechanisms are not capable of responding to current needs and solving challenges and establishing fair and sustainable relations.

Dear colleagues, again, there is no doubt that the second and more important factor is some big powers' disregard of morals, divine values, the teachings of the prophets and the instructions by the Almighty God, as well as the rule of the incompetent.

How can the incompetent, who cannot even manage and control themselves, rule humanity and arrange its affairs?

Unfortunately, they have put themselves in the position of God. They were in servitude to their own whims and the desire to have everything for themselves. For them, human dignity and the lives, properties and territories of others are no longer respected. Humanity has had a deep wound on its tired body caused by imperious powers and pious powers for centuries. Today, the problems that people around the world face are mainly rooted in the disregard of human values and ethnics, and, also in the rule of the selfish and incompetent.

Friends, ladies and gentlemen, the only sustainable way to the betterment of mankind is the return to the teachings of the divine prophets, monotheism, respect for the dignity of humans and the flow of love and affection in all relationships, ties and regulations, and to reform the present structures on this basis.

To fulfill this objective, I invite everyone -- everybody -- to form a front of fraternity, amity and sustainable peace based on monotheism and justice under the name of Coalition For Peace, to prevent incursions and arrogance and to promote the culture of affection and justice.

I hereby announce that with the help of all independent, justice seeking and peace loving nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran will be heading down this path. Monotheism, justice and compassion for humans should dominate all the pillars of the U.N. And this organization should be a forum for justice and every member should enjoy equal spiritual and legal support.

The general assembly, as the representative of the international community, shall be considered as the most important pillar of the U.N. In order to free from any pressure and press by big powers, take required measures for the reforming of the U.N. Structures and especially change the present status of the Security Council and define new structures based on justice and democracy with the purpose of becoming responsive to the present requirements and to be able to settle existing challenges, heading to the establishment of an enduring stability and security.

Mr. President, excellencies, the nuclear issue of Iran is a clear example of how such mechanisms perform and the prevailing thoughts behind them. You are all aware that Iran is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and has always observed its rules and regulations, and has had the most extensive cooperation with this agency in all areas. All our nuclear activities have been completely peaceful and transparent. According to the statute of the IAEA, any member has a number of rights and obligations. In fact, all members have to stay on a peaceful path and, under the supervision of the Agency, assist other members. And they are entitled to be supported by the Agency and have access to the fuel cycle with the help of the Agency and its members.

Thus far, Iran has fulfilled all of its obligations, but has been deprived of other members' technical assistance and even, at times, of the Agency's support. For about five years, some of the aforementioned powers have, by exerting heavy pressure on the IAEA, attempted to prevent the Iranian nation from exercising its rights. They have derailed Iran's nuclear issue from its legal tracks and have politicized the atmosphere to impose their wishes, through taking advantage of all their potentials.

The government of Iran spared no effort to build confidence. But they were not satisfied with anything short of the complete halt of all activities, even those related to research and university fields. They were only after depriving the Iranian people of their inalienable rights, even to the extent that those centers not involved in the fuel cycle or not in need of supervision by the Agency were closed.

After three years of negotiations and attempts to build confidence, the Iranian nation came to the firm belief that the main concern of these powers is not the possible deviation of Iran's nuclear activities, but is to prevent its scientific progress under this pretext. And if this trend continues, there will be no possibility for Iran to enjoy its rights, not even in the next 20 years.

Therefore, Iran decided to pursue the issue through its appropriate, legal path -- one that runs through the IAEA -- and to disregard unlawful and political impositions by the arrogant powers. In the last two years, abusing the Security Council, the arrogant powers have repeatedly accused Iran and even made military threats and imposed illegal sanctions against us. However, by the grace of faith in God and national unity, Iran has moved forward step by step. And now our country is recognized as one with the capacity for industrial scale fuel cycle production for peaceful purposes.

Unfortunately, the Security Council, in dealing with this obvious legal issue, was influenced by some bullying powers and failed to uphold justice and protect the rights of the Iranian people. Fortunately, the IAEA has recently tried to regain its legal role as supporter of the rights of its members, while supervising nuclear activities. We see this as a correct approach adopted by the Agency. Previously, they illegally insisted on politicizing the Iranian nation's nuclear case. But today, because of the resistance of the Iranian nation, the issue is back to the Agency.

And I officially announce that, in our opinion, the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary Agency matter. Today many important questions have been raised about the nuclear activities of certain powers within the IAEA, which should be dealt with properly. Of course, Iran has always been and will be prepared to have constructive talks with all parties.

I would like to thank all the nations and countries that, during this difficult period, defended the legal rights of my nation and motherland. And I also want to appreciate the members of the nonaligned movement, our friends in the Security Council and in the IAEA's board of governors, the committed and law abiding experts of the Agency and its director general for their standing by the law.

I would also like to announce that unlike the monopolistic powers, the Iranian nation is ready to offer to other members its experiences in the form of educational programs and based on its obligations under the Agency's statute and under its supervision.

Now, I would like to address those who have shown hostility toward the Iranian nation for about five years, offended and accused my people, who have contributed to the history and civilization of the world, and I advise them to learn from history and their recent actions.

They badly mistreated the great Iranian nation, but they should be careful not to inflict the same on other members of international organizations and not to sacrifice the dignity of international organizations for the sake of their unlawful wishes today the nations of the world are wide awake and resistant. If you reform yourself, the whole world will be reformed. Nations are inherently good and can co- exist peaceful fully. Those powers should endeavor to serve their own people. Others do not need them.

Is it not high time for these powers to return from the path of arrogance and obedience to Satan to the path of faith in God?

Would they not like to be cleansed of the impurities, submit to the will of God and believe in him?

Facing God means believing in honesty, purity, justice and compassion for others. They can be certain that they will benefit from purity, honesty, justice and loving and respecting the human dignity. They can also be certain that such values are more and more considered appropriate, valuable and beautiful by the nations of the world.

This is the invitation of all the divine prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ and Muhammad -- peace be upon him.

If they accept this invitation, they will be saved. And if they don't, the same calamities that befell the people of distant pasts will befall them, as well. According to the Holy Koran, one who does not answer the divine call should not think that he has weakened God on Earth. He has no companion but God and he is clearly engulfed by darkness.

They have nothing of their own and cannot escape from the dominion of the rule of God and his will. In this important gathering, I have to remind them of the following words of the Almighty, which has been mentioned in the Holy Koran.

Do they not look at the powers and governments which came before them?

If the people of the past had actually possessed something, they would have kept it and would not have let you possess it now. God destroyed them because of their sins and nobody could protect them against the will of God. These powers have to know that the thoughts and methods based on oppression and injustice are doomed to failure.

Do they not see the signs of vigilance and resistance based on monotheism, philanthropy and the justice seeking spirit of the nations world?

Do they not notice that we are nearing the sunset of the time of empires? I hope that this invitation will have a practical answer.

Excellencies, peoples and governments are not obliged to obey the injustice of certain powers. These powers, because of the reasons already mentioned, have lost the competence to lead the world.

I officially declare that the age of relations arising from the Second World War as well as the era of materialistic thoughts based on arrogance and domination is well over now. Humanity has passed the perilous precedence and the age of monotheism, purity, affinity, respecting others, justice and true peace loving has commenced.

It is the divine promise that the truth will be victorious and the earth will be inherited by the righteous. You who are free, believers, and the people of the world, put your trust in God. You who crave high values wherever you are, try to prepare the grounds for the fulfillment of this great divine promise by serving the people and seeking justice.

The era of darkness will end. Prisoners will return home. The occupied lands will be freed. Palestine and Iraq will be liberated from the domination of the occupiers and the people of America and Europe will be free of the pressures exerted by the Zionists.

The tender-hearted and humanity-loving governments will replace the aggressive and domineering ones. Human dignity will be regained. The pleasing aroma of justice will permeate the world and people will live together in a brotherly and affectionate manner.

Striving in this way to surrender rules to the righteous and perfect human, the promised one is indeed the final cure for the wounds of humanity; the solution of all problems and the establishment of love, beauty, justice and a dignified life all over the world. This belief and endeavor is the key to unity and the constructive interaction among nations, countries, the people of the world and all the true justice seekers.

Without any doubt, the promised one who is the ultimate savior, along with Jesus Christ and other holy saviors will come. And the company of all believers, justice seekers and benefactors, he will establish a bright future and fill the world with justice and beauty. This is the promise of God. Therefore, it will be fulfilled.

Come, let's play a part in the fulfillment of all this glory and beauty. I wish for a bright future for all human beings and the dawn of the liberation of and freedom for all humans. And the rule of love and affection all around the world, as well as the elimination of oppression, hatred and violence. A wish which I expect will be realized in the near future.

Thank you very much.

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