“You have treated the Iranian nation in a wrong manner. But, you can make good on your bad acts in the past several years and the great nation may forgive you.”
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Speaking to the US
August 28, 2007
Mahmoud was on a roll today…
(ISNA)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today that Iran is ready to “fill the gap” once the US leaves in defeat.
FOX News reported:
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned Tuesday that a power vacuum is imminent in Iraq and said that Iran was ready to help fill the gap.
“The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly,” Ahmadinejad said at a press conference in Tehran, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq. “Soon, we will see a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course, we are prepared to fill the gap, with the help of neighbors and regional friends like Saudi Arabia, and with the help of the Iraqi nation.”
Although Ahmadinejad did not elaborate how Iran could fill a power gap, his bold remarks reflected what may be perceived as Iran’s eagerness for an increasing role on its neighbor’s political scene.
Sure enough… The Iranian Republic News Agency has the same speech posted today by Ahmadinejad. Mahmoud also talks about the regional emergence of a big power:
“You cannot bring to knees a nation with over seven thousand years of civilization by making use of four fighter planes and some soldiers, artillery and tanks,” he underlined.
“We advise you to amend your policies because through such harsh policies you will get nowhere,” he said.
“I truly declare that the political power of occupiers is on the decline and the region will witness the emergence of a big power,” underlined the president.
“We are ready to help restore security of the region through collective cooperation with our regional friends and Saudi Arabia,” he pointed out.
Nations call for peace and brotherhood and are weary of military expeditions and occupation, he said adding that “We believe that we will witness a very prosperous future.”
MORE… Ahmadinejad said the Zionists were behind the Swedish cartoons insulting the prophet Mohammad:
The Zionists only pretend to believe in religion. They are telling lies. They are perpetrating oppression against the Europeans and putting at risk the prestige of Europe.” He said that the Zionists are the minority whose population is very small, but, they are doing things in an organized manner.
On the US in Iraq:
“You are entangled in your trap.”
On adversaries of the Iranian nation:
“They cannot do a damn thing against the Iranian nation.”
“He does not know what he is saying.”
And, here was a memorable line on nuclear Iran:
“Today, Iran is a nuclear state.”
HotAir has a Mahmoud roundup up.
UPDATE: Jeff Emanuel adds this on the regime in Iran:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today said that “a huge power vacuum” was imminent in Iraq – and promised that, when it appeared, Iran would be ready to fill it. This plainly-stated desire by the totalitarian regime in Tehran to overtly interfere in the affairs of a sovereign nation – while simultaneously accusing the US of doing so, despite the fact that coalition forces are still present in Iraq at official invitation of that nation’s sovereign government – should come as no surprise to any who have followed the course of the Iraq war (and postwar) to this point.
