ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center
SOURCE: The Peninsula
21August2010 1:31pmEDT
GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE:
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke to the Editors-in-Chief of The Peninsula and Al Sharq on a wide range of issues, from the Islamic Republic�s nuclear ambitions to its relations with neighbours and political and economic issues confronting his government, in Tehran on Thursday. Excerpts ...
How do you view Iran-Qatar relations? How can they stabilise security in the region and what is the message of the Qatari Prime Minister�s visit to Iran?
My greetings to the Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Qatar government on the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. I hope the situation would further improve this month. Our relations are deep-rooted and are based on brotherhood, especially those with the Emir. We always consult on key issues and benefit from his advice.
This friendly relation between the two countries gives the opportunity to resolve regional issues in the best manner. Qatar�s initiative to solve the Lebanese conflict is praiseworthy and highly valuable. We always supported this and stood side by side with this mission.
Qatar played a key role in bringing about peace and brotherhood in the Gulf region and its efforts continue. This will help reduce foreign intervention.
What were the issues discussed during the visit of Qatar�s Prime Minister?
This visit came within the framework of our mutual relations. We have always been consulting and examining our stands to improve relations.
What is the impact of the latest sanctions imposed by the US and European Union on Iran? Don�t you think the Iranian people will pay a heavy price for the policy of the government, especially in the aviation sector?
The main purpose of the sanctions is to confront the Iranian people, but they are confronting a people who are very strong in their beliefs. The boycott targeted Iranian people but it does not have the expected impact. Iran has a strong economy and it has contacts with the whole world. They will be boycotted when they boycott Iran. They deprive themselves of ties with Iran. Iranian people will overcome the sanctions and they will be forced to withdraw them.
There is a rat race among countries for marketing their commodities. Then what is the meaning of the boycott? They are boycotting themselves.
What they are selling we are manufacturing in Iran. The worst thing is that they want to exploit business relations to impose their ideology on others.
For 300 years they have been practicing the colonialist behaviour and now it is difficult for them to get out if it. You have to give them a jolt to bring them back to their senses.
