The following are excerpts from two speeches by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, delivered the week of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The first, at a Holocaust conference at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran on January 27, 2009, and the transcript was published by the official Iranian news agency IRNA. The second aired on the Iranian news channel IRINN on January 28, 2009.
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Following are excerpts from both speeches.
January 27, 2009: "A Political and Power-Seeking Network Claimed To Be the Advocate For One Group of the Victims [of the Holocaust] – And Sought Reparations For Their Blood"
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "Honorable guests, dear professors, and students: A glance at the events following World War II shows that the issue of the Holocaust and the exaggerated way in which it was recounted was a pretext to continue and expand the domination of the victors, particularly the U.S. and Britain, in the international arena.
"The illegitimate Zionist regime is an outcome of the Holocaust. While many people from the nations died in World War II – and it has been mentioned that 65 million people were killed – a political and power-seeking network claimed to be the advocate for one group of the victims, and sought reparations for their blood. [This network] ruled that the survivors of this particular group of victims must receive compensation – and part of this compensation was to establish the Zionist regime in the land of Palestine.
"On this pretext, they attacked Palestine and, after massacring the [indigenous] people and driving them from their homes, they occupied their homeland and created the Zionist regime – in order to ensure that no regional power would emerge in the Islamic lands except for the West, [because] Islamic civilization and culture have the dynamic potential to threaten their interests, which were based on oppression and thirst for power. These principles and philosophy comprise the Zionist regime.
"Today, those who live in the lands under this regime's occupation include some of the indigenous people of Palestine – but the majority is immigrants from America and Asia, and some from Europe. Most are not survivors of the war, so even by the logic of the Holocaust, [they should not be there].
"It Is the Very Advocates of Liberal Democracy Who Defend The Holocaust... Reexamining It Will Be Tantamount to Cutting the Vital Arteries of the Zionist Regime"
"Sadly, for 60 years they allowed no one to question and cast doubt on the logic of the Holocaust and its very essence – because if the truth were to be exposed, nothing would remain of their logic of liberal democracy.
"It is the very advocates of liberal democracy who defend the Holocaust, who have sanctified it to the point where none may enter. Breaking the padlock of the Holocaust and reexamining it will be tantamount to cutting the vital arteries of the Zionist regime. It will destroy the philosophical foundation and raison d'être of this regime."
"The Filthy Entity of the Zionist Regime is Not the Sole Fruit of The Holocaust"
"Today the Zionists dominate many of the world's centers of power, wealth, and media
"But I wish to draw the attention of researchers to another important issue: The filthy entity of the Zionist regime is not the sole fruit of the Holocaust. The consequences and repercussions of the Holocaust are, in fact, far greater than this.
"Today the Zionists dominate many of the world's centers of power, wealth, and media. Unfortunately, they have ensnared many politicians and parties, and they are plundering the wealth and assets of nations in this way, depriving peoples of their freedoms and destroying their cultures and human values by spreading their nexus of corruption.
"I invite the dear researchers, intellectuals, young people and students, who are the trailblazers, to reexamine not only the Holocaust, but also its consequences and aftermath and inform others of their studies and research. Let us not forget that more than ever before, the Zionist network, which came up with the issue of the Holocaust, must be exposed, and be presented to the peoples as it really is.
"I express my gratitude to all the organizers of this conference and thank all the researchers and authors who have worked in this field and are publishing their valuable works on this topic.
"Be victorious.
"Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.[1]
IRINN TV, January 28: "Change... Means They Must End Their Military Presence Worldwide"
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "If the Iranian people was not bound by political and geographical constraints, it would have been ready to defend glory, honor, and human dignity alongside the people of Gaza. When [the U.S.] says that it is going to make a change, change can take one of two forms: One would be a fundamental, influential, course-altering change. The other would be a tactical change, which would involve changing their modus operandi and their rhetoric, as well as the way they use political tools.
"Clearly, if they mean this second type of change, this will soon be revealed, and the peoples of the world will oppose this.
[...]
"When they say their policies are about to change, this means they must end their military presence worldwide. They must gather these forces, and deploy them along their borders to serve their people." [...]
"9/11 Occurred – It Is Not Yet Clear Who Carried It Out... Like In the Case of the Holocaust, They Sealed It Off"
"An incident known as 9/11 occurred. It is not yet clear who carried it out, who collaborated with them, and who paved the way for them. The event took place, and – like in the case of the Holocaust – they sealed it off, refusing to allow objective research groups to find out the truth. They invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, using 9/11 as a pretext.
[...]
"If you talk about changing your policies, you must permit research into the reasons for 9/11, and its culprits." [...]
"Change Means Asking Forgiveness from the Iranian People"
"Mr. Bush allowed himself to interfere in the affairs of all peoples: 'Mr. Sudan, why do you live like this?' 'Mr. Pakistan, why do you walk like this?' 'Mr. Saudi Arabia, why do you pray like this?' 'Mr. Iran, why are you interested in scientific progress?' If they wish to change their policies, it means that the U.S. will not be allowed to interfere in the affairs of other peoples. [...]
"If you wish to change your policies, you must alleviate the pressure on the American people, and grant them the freedom to be involved in political affairs, and determine their fate by themselves.
[...]
"For over 60 years, the consecutive U.S. administrations have been harassing Iran.
[...]
"They took our oil, they took our wealth, and they destroyed our culture. [...]
"To those who are saying that they plan to make changes—change means asking forgiveness from the Iranian people, and trying to make amends for their black past, and for the crimes they have committed against the Iranian people. [...]
"If anyone wants to talk to the Iranian people in the language of Mr. Bush, the style of Mr. Bush, the mentality of Mr. Bush, and the warmongering of Mr. Bush – even if he uses new words – the Iranian people will give him the same response that is has given Mr. Bush and his lackeys for many years…"
Endnote:
[1] IRNA (Iran), 27 January 2009, http://www5.irna.ir/AR/View/FullStory/?NewsId=323311.
