Iran supreme leader rails against 'deadly cancer of Zionism'
Khamenei pressed to cut tensions after post-election arrests, while slamming Israel, foreign media.
By News Agencies Tags: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Iran Israel newsIran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, railed against the "deadly cancer of Zionism" on Sunday, in his latest verbal attack on Israel.
The annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day rally on Friday was a "day of loud and clear shouts" against this "deadly cancer of Zionism which is gnawing into the lives of the Islamic nations," Khamenei was quoted by AFP as saying.
Khamenei, who has the final say in all Iran's national issues, made the comments in a sermon on Sunday marking the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, during which he also laid into Western powers and foreign media networks.
The all-powerful cleric was further quoted as saying that the "deadly cancer was spreading through the invading hands of the occupiers and arrogant powers."
His anti-Israel remarks came two days after the Quds Day rally during which Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had also ranted against Israel and denied the Holocaust, which he called "a lie."
In Sunday's sermon, Khamenei warned government supporters against accusing opposition members of wrongdoing without proof, an indication that the Islamic government may be easing up on critics of the June presidential election.
Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, said while a suspect's own confession was admissible, his testimony or accusations could not be used to implicate others in the unrest following President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election.
He added that they do not have the right to accuse without any proof and urged the judiciary and security forces to pursue offenders within the bounds of the law. He stressed that accusing others in the media without any proof would create a climate of suspicion.
The speech was carried live on Iran's state radio and television.
Khamenei did not single out any individuals, but his remarks appeared to refer to testimony by some detainees who claim that former President Hashemi Rafsanjani and other reformists supported opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi in the June 12 vote to weaken Khamenei.
Reformists claim that widespread fraud handed incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a win over Mousavi. Tens of thousands took to the streets in protests after the results, sparking a harsh government crackdown in which hundreds were arrested or detained and dozens subsequently being brought to court in mass trials.
Some opposition members say 72 died in the post-vote police crackdown, roughly double the government's official casualty figures.
Since July, the street protests have largely died down, giving way instead to rifts between the country's influential clerics, with hardliners accusing Mousavi's reformist and moderate supporters of looking to destabilize the government and calling, in some cases, for their arrest.
Since the election, Khamenei has at times signaled that the government may ease up on the critics.
Khamenei's latest comments could signal a change in the direction of the ongoing court cases against protesters. Over the past months, state-owned television,news agencies and newspapers reported on five court sessions in which some detainees blamed opposition figures and their supporters of fomenting the postelection unrest.
Among those blamed was Rafsanjani's son. In one court hearing in August, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a detainee who was a former vice president in the late 1990s and early 2000s, was quoted as saying that Rafsanjani backed Mousavi to take revenge on Ahmadinejad and Khamenei.
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Translation: Help! I have fallen and I can't get up. Mullah's do something. Blame someone! I can't believe we are blamed for their stupid wrong doing too. And you know the worst part is that millions of idiots believe in these types of ideologies.
Amazing, but when have we heard speech like this.... in the modern era. Never mind that he's a psycho or delusional. Khamenei is still a man of God and the Supreme Cleric of Iran. His speech will be broadcast world-wide.... but does he care. The question remains what is his agenda. It's not power or world recognition, it's not even to rally the faithful. It's more devious and demonic then all that. This is a display of racism and arrogance that boggles the mind. Sorry, but no matter who becomes the president of Iran. This kind of speech is reminiscent of the 1930's.
That would be you......
Always the easy techniques to try rally public opinion. I bet this time the iranians won't go into that game, they want other things and even those who doubted saw how the demonstrators were treated.
in the Lake of Fire is a rotten egg.
the more he speaks the more people understand the mindset of many muslims. speak louder Mr. Ahmandinajad (i feel sorry for the people in Iran-they are good people with horrible politicians)
The leaders of Iran seem most frantic to change the discussion from the protester against them to Israel. This is my opinion, and given how many times it has been censored I can only suspect that a zeal to hide the growing weakness of the Iranian regime reigns in Israel.
...from the insightful Aryan wisdom of BBSNews, the Antisemitic Aussie contingent, Colin Wright, and Linthwaite. Condemning the comments of "Iran's Supreme Leader" (I thought they claimed to be a Democracy?) would truly deflate their beliefs, arguments, and ideology of the "Jews and Masons are always at fault."
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for next recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace. Do I have a seconder?
Next year in Jerusalem! this is at the essence of Jewish life. Iran's dictators, by denying the right of the Jewish people to our self determination in the land of our ancestors, and by denying the veracity of our past, and our claim to freedom, independence, and sovereignty, by denying the truth of the of the systematic and intentional murder of millions of Jewish people under the guise of "solving the Jewish Problem," and by declaring their goal to eliminate the Jewish State, are at the core, just vulgar racists who want to obliterate Jewish life, not only modern political Zionism. One more time in history we are facing a power that aims to destroy our existence. One more time we will stand alone and we will survive regardless of the pain and the price, and they will perish. Poor Iranian people who used to be a light in times of darkness. They will recuperate their freedom and they will see the light again, but it will be painful and the price will be high.
Hi Lynn, one of my fave vids is where the chant master keeps chanting 'down with Israel' & people respond with 'down with russia' over & over that the chant master gives up!!I didnt sleep for 3 days leading up to it!The buildup was electrifying & all consuming!!It turned out to be bigger than everyone's expectation all over Iran!This was a game changer & you'll see why in the near future.Next one is on the 23rd where a lot of us are going to welcome ahmadinejad with our protest.People are going to NY from all over the US as well as many coming from Europe-I personally know a few coming from Aussie/germany/UK. Watch for 23-24 rallies in front of UN.We even got permission to march the Green Scroll on the Brooklyn Bridge!This was a scroll signed by Iranian expats from different parts of the world & sown together saying AN is not my president.It was supposed to be hung from Eiffel Tower but ended up being so long that got'biggest scroll in human history' title & was showcased around Eiffel
Deadly cancer not Zionism but Who spread Jihad and Terorism around the World.
Just look closely at Ahmadienjad & you'll notice small bumps on his face. Those bumps are cancer polyps in time they'll all connect & cancer will spread all over this monkeyed 1/2 human face. That is the reason why he cannot shave ! Just look at him & his Mullahs.They all look like Imps ! You see what the world has to deal with !? When & if Ahmadienjad goes to the UN in NY. All who are at throwing distance,throw shoes at him. Not only men's shoes,& why not also women's shoes !? Give them a break! Let them also have a practice-shoe-throwing compitition! And also some fun! Give it to him. Let him have it !
to the masses you give "bread and circus", mixed with religion and you have the right soup. Marx, was right whe he said religion is the opium of the people.
Poor Iran. Under the Shah things wre not that great, but they had liberty, sure, as long as you didnt mess with the authorities. but, is not the same thing all over the world?.but now, no liberty, no democracy,no money, no nothing, besides a bunch of inept,ignorant religious zealots rule that country that may implode very soon.
What can one surmise about either the strength and self-confindence of the "Islamic nations" Khameini references, when tiny little Israel is seen as the"deadly cancer of Zionism which is gnawing into the lives of the Islamic nations." How very pathetic that the religious leaders of these hundreds of millions of people are so frightened of what one little country and its people represent that they need to resort to this level of hatred and incitement on a daily basis and, how even more pathetic that the American President remains silent.
is the best friend a ultra nationalistic belligerent Israel could hope to have. Had Iran had a "normal" leader (even a normal dictator), and not a raving lunatic, Israel would have been all alone with its Evangelist "allies"... Ultra nationalists and their pandering religious worshippers (Evangelists) without the enemy Iran, would of course feel very, very lonely. Luckily, there is Iran. A state so corrupt and "evil" that even Israel looks decent...
What real, life-changing reflection did he go through during Ramadan? What real charity was he personally responsible for during this time? Under his directive during this last month, millions went to Hezbollah, Hamas, Russia, China, and N. Korea while millions of his own people are in poverty or are struggling to make ends meet. Islam is the last religion one would willingingly convert to if all they saw were the charades of this hypocrite wrapped supposedly in godly robes and a pious turban. "Maghr Baghr Khamenei!" is the real legacy he's leaving in his captive subjects eyes, even though he strives to prop himself up as a champion of the mostly self-inflicted Palestinian cause. Khamenei will always feel the painful slivers of going against G-d's grain if he keeps trying to forcefully exalt Islam over Judaism in Israel's part of the world.
Gov issued signs said "Down with Israel". Protestors crossed Israel out and wrote Russia on the signs. They tore down Hezbollah flags and posters chanting "Allahu Akbar". I also watched Anne Curry's interview with Ahmadinejad. He seemed a little nervous to me. His old arrogance wasn't there. It won't stop in Iran until he's gone. The Gov will never be able to put the jin back in the bottle, not ever. Khameini has already lost, he knows it.
I read about an important event in the Turkish newspapers today: Turkey is improving its relations with Syria. Syria has generally been nicer to its Christian minorities; and hopefully, Turkey's democracy move will mean it will be nicer to its Christian minorities and Armenia as well. If Syria has a chance to become more democratic, will it improve its relations with Israel? Will that mean that Iran will have to adjust itself to the new democracy in the middle east? Will things get better or worse for Israel is the question, I think. Democracy would be better for Israel because its means tolerance for Israel. People in Lebanon are hopeful for democracy in Lebanon; so let's hope in this New Year, that peace and democracy will become a reality.
Such a crap this man. If I had a leader like this I would flee away, far, far away.
,she should demand a copyright fee from Ahmenijad. Except she doesn't mind ,proud her ilks ideas have so prominent exponent.
I am thinking about the Mormon, Israeli and Iranian communities. Each was close to becoming or feared because it might become or became a theocracy. People who value democracy and secularism don't want theocracy. In becoming part of the bigger world, it is necessary to be more democratic. A country or people can't live in isolation, intolerant of other religions, races in today's world.
Turkey is making a big democracy move; I think Turkey will remain secular and western oriented, and the other middle eastern countries will follow. I think that Iran and theocracy are doomed to failure because the modern world will not accept theocracy. It is time for the Ayatollah to step down and for a more modern Iran to emerge to fit into the modern world. It is only a matter of time because of pressure on Iran and the desire of its people to modernize and go towards the west.
Once again, let's make Israel the great evil one, and then all the people will be united and not look inward to the evils that are being done to them in their own country. This has been practiced all throughout history, let's make Jews the scapegoat, and at the same time we can keep our own people under control.
and the Night of the living Dead thinks he can contain the Civil unrest by appointing Israel the purvayor of all his peoples' ills. Would anyone be so stupid as to believe this self appointed "Spiritual Leader" and child killer?
What are you going to do now? It's not fair that the supreme mullah accuses you of arrogance as you are doing nothing.
Again and again one of Iran's criminals opens his sinful mouth. Nothing will cover your crimes, dictator!