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Last update - 20:35 13/06/2009
Lieberman: Problem with Iran is regime, not Ahmadinejad
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Iran Election 

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Saturday that Iran posed a problem because of the actions of its regime, not the personality of its newly reelected leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"The problem that Iran presents to the international community doesn't have a personal nature," said Lieberman in a special communique he released shortly after Iranian authorities declared that Ahmadinejad was re-elected.

"The Iranian problem stems from the policy of the regime in Tehran, all the more so in light of Ahmadinejad's victory and the continuation of his rule."
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Israel, the United States and other western nations say Iran's nuclear program is aimed at manufacturing nuclear weapons.

Ahmadinejad, 52, has expanded the program, which Iran insists is for civilian purposes only, and has stirred international outrage by denying the Holocaust and calling for Israel to be wiped off the map.

Lieberman added: "The international community must continue to work in an uncompromising manner to prevent the nuclearization of Iran and to halt its aid to terrorist organizations."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, meanwhile, said Saturday the U.S. hopes the outcome of the election reflects the genuine will and desire of the Iranian people.

"We are monitoring the situation as it unfolds in Iran, but we, like the rest of the world, are waiting and watching to see what the Iranian people decide," Clinton said at an event in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs, in a statement, said the Obama
administration is paying close attention to reports of alleged election irregularities.

At a joint appearance with Clinton, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said his country was deeply concerned by reports of irregularities in the election.

"We're troubled by reports of intimidation of opposition candidates' offices by security forces," Cannon said. Canada is calling on Iranian authorities to conduct fair and transparent counting of all ballots.

Shalom, Ayalon: Vote highlights threat posed by Iran

Also Saturday, two other senior Israeli politicians said the Ahmadinejad's re-election underscored the growing threat posed by Tehran and its nuclear ambitions, urging the world not to engage in dialogue with Iran.

However, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and Vice Premier Silvan Shalom expressed their personal views and not those of the Israeli government, said government spokesman Mark Regev. He said it was not clear when the Israeli government would make a formal statement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued that Iran's nuclear
ambitions, not Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, should occupy the
world's action.

Friction has been growing between Israel and the U.S. over Netanyahu's refusal to endorse the idea of Palestinian statehood and a settlement freeze, as sought by the Obama administration.

"If we had any shred of hope for change in Iran, the re-election of Ahmadinejad demonstrates the increasing Iranian threat," Ayalon said in a text message sent to news organizations.

Ayalon also said there was no difference between the incumbent and Mousavi concerning the nuclear issue and terror, an apparent reference to Iran's support for the Palestinian militant faction Hamas and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

"With the results of the Iranian elections, the international community has to stop the Iranian nuclear problem and terrorism from Iran immediately," Ayalon said.

Shalom, who also serves as Israel's minister for regional cooperation, said in a statement: "The election results in Iran are blowing up in the face of those who thought that Iran is built for real dialogue with the free world, concerning its nuclear program."

Netanyahu is to deliver a major policy speech Sunday to clarify his positions. An election victory by hardliners in Iran could strengthen his argument.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said he did not think there would be any change in American policy toward Iran because the same person will be there, Carter said after a meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

"Hopefully, he'll moderate his position," he said about Ahmadinejad.

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      1.   Iran Has No Nuclear Weapons Program 16:15  |  Rainbow Warrior 13/06/09
      2.   Iran election & Carter 16:27  |  The Teacher/Instruct 13/06/09
      3.   Bibi "focus on Iran not the Palestinians" 16:31  |  jim the mechanic 13/06/09
      4.   Don`t Waste Your Time! 16:31  |  Cool B 13/06/09
      5.   Iran election 17:09  |  K 13/06/09
      6.   Wow. How misinformed can one be? 17:09  |  Tony 13/06/09
      7.   WHAT THEY MEAN 17:11  |  indrajaya 13/06/09
      8.   Apropos 17:27  |  Peter 13/06/09
      9.   It`s iranian people who will pay dearly 17:31  |  Vitaly 13/06/09
      10.   to Cool B.......why not to MIDDLE EAST NUKE FREE ZONE? 17:35  |  Tony Silver 13/06/09
      11.   Maybe Ahmadinejad will change.. 17:36  |  Moti 13/06/09
      12.   to Rainbow..... Why not to MIDDLE EAST NUKE FREE ZONE? 17:37  |  Tony Silver 13/06/09
      13.   Iran never said that Tony, why lie? 18:00  |  BBSNews 13/06/09
      14.   To Tony Silver #10 18:10  |  Rainbow Warrior 13/06/09
      15.   Best thing this man can do right now is - SHUT his mouth up 20:51  |  Adam Rahman 13/06/09
      16.   iran 21:03  |  Infidel 13/06/09
      17.   Lieberman the wiseman 21:06  |  ezzat tamimi 13/06/09
      18.   WOW! lieberman learned something "new"! 21:25  |  eric 13/06/09
      19.   Tony in Melbourne How Misinformed can one be? 21:37  |  jim the mechanic 13/06/09
      20.   Tony, you are right, checks should be compulsory 21:41  |  Stephen L 13/06/09
      21.   The Iranian People 21:38  |  Lila 19/06/09
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