Presence of illegitimate forces in Mideast cause of all threats, says Ahmadinejad
Sunday, 23 September 2007
TEHRAN, Sept 22 (BSS/AFP) - Iran's armed forces today kicked off an annual military parade to mark the anniversary of an eight-war with Iraq amid growing international pressure on the Islamic republic over its nuclear programme.
"The presence of illegitimate forces in the region is the cause of all threats and differences. Their pullout would benefit themselves, the region and stable security," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a speech to mark the event.
Ahmadinejad called for the US-led occupation forces' pullout of neighbouring Iraq, which fought a bloody war with Iran from 1980 to 1988.
"Iran is an influential power in the region and the world and the world should know that this power has always served peace, stability, brotherhood and justice," he said.
The United States and its ally Israel have never ruled out using military strikes for its defiance in the nuclear standoff.
At the beginning of the parade three "Saegheh" planes, Iran's new fighter jet, were flown and Tehran has vowed to show off more home-grown weapons during the week-long ceremony that marks the "sacred defence".
Iran showed off a new longer-range missile named the "Ghadr," saying it had a range of 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles), in an annual military parade to mark an eight-year war with Iraq.
The "Ghadr"-meaning "power"-appears to be an upgrade of Iran's existing longer-range missile the Shahab-3, which according to Iranian officials has a range of 1,300 kilometres (805 miles).
XINHUA adds from New York: As Columbia University in New York prepares to welcome Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to its campus Monday afternoon, the news has drawn mixed reactions in the United States, the New York Sun newspaper reported Friday.
Elected officials and Jewish leaders are urging the university to withdraw its invitation but others support the invitation.
"The idea of Ahmadinejad as an honored guest anywhere in our city is offensive to all New Yorkers," the speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, said Thursday in a letter to President of Columbia University Lee Bollinger.
However, Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the university's right to host the Iranian president. "I think who Columbia invites is up to them and that's what academic institutions do," Bloomberg said at a press conference. "I am not part of the management of Columbia or a student there."
President Ahmadinejad has been invited by Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to speak and answer questions as part of its World Leaders Forum.
The dean of SIPA, John Coatsworth, defended the invitation as an exercise in good citizenship. "Opportunities to hear, challenge, and learn from controversial speakers of different views are central to the education and training of students for citizenship in a shrinking and dangerous world," Coatsworth said in a statement.
Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in the city Sunday to address the United Nations General Assembly.
"The presence of illegitimate forces in the region is the cause of all threats and differences. Their pullout would benefit themselves, the region and stable security," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a speech to mark the event.
Ahmadinejad called for the US-led occupation forces' pullout of neighbouring Iraq, which fought a bloody war with Iran from 1980 to 1988.
"Iran is an influential power in the region and the world and the world should know that this power has always served peace, stability, brotherhood and justice," he said.
The United States and its ally Israel have never ruled out using military strikes for its defiance in the nuclear standoff.
At the beginning of the parade three "Saegheh" planes, Iran's new fighter jet, were flown and Tehran has vowed to show off more home-grown weapons during the week-long ceremony that marks the "sacred defence".
Iran showed off a new longer-range missile named the "Ghadr," saying it had a range of 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles), in an annual military parade to mark an eight-year war with Iraq.
The "Ghadr"-meaning "power"-appears to be an upgrade of Iran's existing longer-range missile the Shahab-3, which according to Iranian officials has a range of 1,300 kilometres (805 miles).
XINHUA adds from New York: As Columbia University in New York prepares to welcome Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to its campus Monday afternoon, the news has drawn mixed reactions in the United States, the New York Sun newspaper reported Friday.
Elected officials and Jewish leaders are urging the university to withdraw its invitation but others support the invitation.
"The idea of Ahmadinejad as an honored guest anywhere in our city is offensive to all New Yorkers," the speaker of the City Council, Christine Quinn, said Thursday in a letter to President of Columbia University Lee Bollinger.
However, Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the university's right to host the Iranian president. "I think who Columbia invites is up to them and that's what academic institutions do," Bloomberg said at a press conference. "I am not part of the management of Columbia or a student there."
President Ahmadinejad has been invited by Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) to speak and answer questions as part of its World Leaders Forum.
The dean of SIPA, John Coatsworth, defended the invitation as an exercise in good citizenship. "Opportunities to hear, challenge, and learn from controversial speakers of different views are central to the education and training of students for citizenship in a shrinking and dangerous world," Coatsworth said in a statement.
Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in the city Sunday to address the United Nations General Assembly.