Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., January 04, 2008 Tevet 26, 5768 | | Israel Time: 16:39 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Magazine

Last update - 18:40 03/01/2008 Iran's supreme chief says would okay future relations with U.S. By News Agencies Tags: Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei  Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Thursday that he would approve the restoration of relations between his country and its archenemy the United States if those relations were to serve the interests of the Islamic country. "But for now that was not the case, and the issue of restoring the ties, severed in 1979, should not be pursued," the top Iranian cleric said. "I would be the first one to support these relations," state radio quoted Khamenei as saying at a student group meeting in the central Iranian province of Yazd. Advertisement Khamenei, who has final say in all state matters, said he would give the approval if he deemed the relations, severed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the U.S. Embassy takeover by militants in Tehran, would be beneficial. "We never said the severed relations were forever," added Khamenei. "But for the time being, it [restoring ties] is harmful and we should not pursue it." "Resuming ties under present circumstances would endanger Iran's security as it would provide opportunity for security agents to come and go, as well as for espionage," he said. "It has no benefit for Iranian nation." The cleric attributed the fact that Iran-U.S. relations have been frozen for almost 30 years to the allegedly hostile U.S. policies against Iran. "The hostility by the U.S. has existed, since the [Islamic] Revolution," he said. Khamenei has become increasingly outspoken in state media ahead of the March 14 parliament elections. There has also been more criticism of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by both moderate conservatives and reformists ahead of the crucial vote. On Wednesday, also in Yazd, Khamenei urged would-be candidates in the elections and their supporters to abstain from smearing rivals' reputation during campaigning. It can be seen as an effort by the top Ayatollah to subdue critical and outspoken voices ahead of the campaign. Candidates are to start registering candidates for the polling on Saturday while the actual campaigning begins a week before the voting day. The elections are expected to be a key test of Ahmadinejad's hold on power and also a key indicator for the 2009 presidential vote. Washington has refused to hold talks with Iran - that could tackle also the issue of diplomatic ties - until Tehran suspends its controversial uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to produce fuel for both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. But the two archenemies have held three rounds of ambassador-level of negotiations over Iraq, which broke the 27-year diplomatic freeze. Iran has insisted its nuclear program is intended for energy production and not for weapons' development, as claimed by the U.S. and its allies. Khamenei reiterated Thursday that his country would continue its peaceful nuclear program to generate some 20,000 mega watts of electricity in the next two decades. U.S. efforts to push for a third round of U.N. sanctions against Tehran over the enrichment were undermined by the release of a new U.S. intelligence report in December that said Iran suspended nuclear weapons' development under international pressure in 2003 and had not resumed it since, a dramatic turnaround from the previous stance that said Iran restarted the program in 2005 Bookmark to del.icio.us   Pre-Iowa Israel Factor The panel is certain that Clinton is the better Democratic candidate for Israel. The Jewish connection Jeremy Goldberg works to connect Barack Obama with Jewish voters.   1.   His Regime Is Finished 15:06  |  Steve 03/01/08   2.   Exactly... 15:37  |  I agree 03/01/08   3.   USA = Terrorist State 15:55  |  POP 03/01/08   4.   freedom 16:08  |  free 03/01/08   5.   izzy getting left out of the deal? 16:27  |  muslim 03/01/08   6.   For those who have not been paying attention 16:32  |  Natallie Durson 03/01/08   7.   Khamenei or Khomeini? 16:36  |  Atom Bomb 03/01/08   8.   The photo in the article!! 16:39  |  Ali Saqr Husseini 03/01/08   9.   wrong picture 16:43  |  karimi zadeh 03/01/08   10.   If the US had any Guts They`d Rocket This Prick 16:49  |  MIKE 03/01/08   11.   POP # 3 16:50  |  JJ 03/01/08   12.   Photo? 16:54  |  Fallujah 03/01/08   13.   As an American I welcome dialogue 17:19  |  American 03/01/08   14.   Steve 17:21  |  American Leftist 03/01/08   15.   #1 steve 17:37  |  wh 03/01/08   16.   Re: JJ 17:38  |  POP 03/01/08   17.   Time for Sanctions on Israel for WMD`s & ethnic crimes 17:39  |  POP 03/01/08   18.   Viva Khamenei 18:34  |  joebhed 03/01/08   19.   the picture is of Khomeini (dead) and not Khamenei. 18:35  |  anti-racist 03/01/08   20.   U.S. and U.K. overthrew the only Iranian democracy in 1953 18:37  |  anti-racist 03/01/08   21.   U.S. also killed democracy: Guatemala, Honduras, Dominican, etc. 18:39  |  anti-racist 03/01/08   22.   The true price of OIL 19:46  |  Iranian-American 03/01/08   23.   To: anti-racist 20:12  |  Pedro 03/01/08   24.   U.S.-Iran relations 20:43  |  Mark 03/01/08   25.   IRAN and US 20:43  |  PARIS 03/01/08   26.   POOP = BOOB 00:01  |  Mohan 04/01/08   27.   Anti Racist Moron 15:17  |  MIKE 04/01/08

Today Online Amos Harel: Israel is not the only one exercising restraint Responses: 44 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit Responses: 35 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to focus on suicide bombings Responses: 41 Editorial: The IDF is an army that has ceased to function as an army Responses: 41 Rosner: Turning the Green Line red, one settlement at a time Responses: 16 Rosner's Domain After Iowa: Is there room for both McCain and Giuliani? Iowa caucus: Here come the tribal leaders The green line is turning red Guest: Is it important for American Jews to learn Hebrew? WTR Des Moines edition: If McCain goes up, down goes Giuliani More Headlines 14:09 Palestinian PM lambasts Israel over W. Bank raids 11:16 IDF troops kill two Hamas militants in northern Gaza 15:47 U.S. President George Bush is likely to visit Israel again in May 12:21 Obama, Huckabee head to New Hampshire after big wins in Iowa 09:07 Wiesenthal Center calls on UN to formally address suicide attacks 09:10 Ramon: Crackdown on outposts likely to start after Bush visit 14:13 Yesha Council: Peres subjects pres. institution to extreme left 13:32 Egypt arrests 9 Africans trying to cross illegally into Israel 06:37 PA forces uncover Hamas explosives lab in Nablus 09:31 Barak considers calling for early elections by end of 2008 Previous Editions Select Day 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 28 dec 27 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec

Special Offers Advertisement Inbal Jerusalem Hotel Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 10% off! AMERICANS ONE MONTH LEFT US citizen in Israel beat online Democrats-Abroad Presidential Primary deadline.

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved