Zarif: I will not let my country be damaged by Holocaust denial statements

Javad Zarif.

Mohammed Javad Zarif has come received some criticism from conservative hard-liners in Iran for comments he made in an interview given to German media last February. On that occasion he said the Holocaust was undeniably a "horrifying tragedy." (AP, May 6)

Mr. Zarif had already last year said that the Holocaust was a "heinous crime."

In a session of the country's parliament Mr. Zarif defended his remarks and has said the promulgation of Holocaust denial by the Ahmadinejad government in recent years has tarnished Iran's image and has given its regional enemy Israel a propaganda coup.

Zarif maintains that he will not allow his country's reputation to be damaged and undermined by "Holocaust denial."

Zarif spoke of "Zionist projections against Iran" and accused Israel of spreading "Iranophobia."

He also proclaimed that, "Netanyahu shamelessly raises a hue and cry that Iran is denying the Holocaust and says that Holocaust-denying Iran is after creating another Holocaust by producing an atomic bomb."

In reference to the Holocaust he said that, "From the point of view of the Iranian people, massacres of innocent people anywhere and in any form are to be condemned."

During that majlis session where Zarif's comments were discussed video was played of the Supreme Leader Ali Khameini who has himself questioned the scope of the Holocaust. (RFE/RL, May 6)

The hard-line legislators present to hear Zarif defend his pronouncements said that they were "satisfied" with his "explanation."

Khamenei Questions the Holocaust

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a Norouz address to the nation questioned the historical reality of the Holocaust. His official Twitter account has posted his Holocaust-related remark in English. Khamenei made the remark in Mashhad on Friday.

“Holocaust is an event whose reality is uncertain and if it has happened, it's uncertain how it has happened.” (Twitter/khamenei_ir, 21 March 2014)

In the past eight years, denying the Holocaust was the purview of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, with Khamenei generally silent on the issue. With Ahmadinejad out as the spokesperson, Khamenei is now taking on the Holocaust personally. 

Last September, on the occasion of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif twitted that the days of Holocaust denial were gone, attributing them to Ahmadinejad.

“Iran never denied it (the Holocaust). The man who was perceived to be denying it is now gone. Happy New year.” (Twitter/@JZarif, 5 September 2013) 

But it is Ahmadinejad who is gone, not the urge to deny the Holocaust on part of the “revolutionaries” within the Islamic Republic. 

Photo credit: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, 21 March 2014 (Twitter/khamenei_ir)

Rouhani Condemns Holocaust

Confirms U.S. Request for Meeting with Obama

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani asserted in a CNN interview that he condemned the Holocaust. In the CNN interview, recorded on Tuesday and broadcast today, Christiane Amanpour asked Rouhani about his view of the Holocaust. Rouhani responded:

“Any crime that happens in history against humanity, including the crime the Nazis created towards the Jews, is reprehensible and condemnable… Whatever criminality they committed against the Jews, we condemn,” Rouhani said. “The taking of human life is contemptible. It makes no difference whether that life is Jewish life, Christian or Muslim. For us it is the same.” (CNN/New York Times, 24 September)

Asked about the meeting with President Obama which never materialized, Rouhani answers:

“The United States declared its interest in having such a meeting and in principle could have, under certain circumstances, allowed it to happen… But I believe we didn’t have sufficient time to really coordinate the meeting,” said Rouhani.

Earlier reports from the White House indicated that Rouhani and his team thought a meeting with Obama was “too complicated.” A sign that the powerful conservative and fundamentalist forces inside Iran were against such meeting.

During the interview, however, Rouhani sent his “greetings to the people of America who are very dear and near to the hearts of the Iranian people.” (CNN/New York Times, 24 September)

Photo credit: President Hassan Rouhani of Iran with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. 24 September 2013. (amanpour.blogs.cnn.com)

Castro Criticizes Ahmadinejad’s Attitude on Israel

Cuban leader Fidel Castro has criticized Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for denying the Holocaust. Castro told visiting Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic that Iran could serve the cause of peace by “acknowledging the 'unique' history of anti-Semitism and trying to understand why Israelis fear for their existence" [The Atlantic, 8 September].

Castro, himself a fierce critic of Israel, told Goldberg in Havana that there is nothing that compares to the Holocaust and the Iranian government should understand that the Jews were expelled from their land, persecuted and mistreated all over the world.

Castro also told Goldberg that he had read his recent article on Iran and agreed with him that Israel and America were moving “precipitously and gratuitously” toward confrontation with Iran.

American sanctions and Israeli threats will not dissuade the Iranian leadership from pursuing nuclear weapons, Castro said. "This problem is not going to get resolved, because the Iranians are not going to back down in the face of threats.”

To read Goldberg’s original piece, please visit: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/09/fidel-to-ahmadinejad/62566/

Karrubi Criticizes Ahmadinejad’s Holocaust Stand

Presidential candidate Mehdi Karrubi, in harshest language leveled against the sitting president, today criticized Ahmadinejad for his stand on the Holocaust.

“Ahmadinejad has done Israel the greatest service by speaking of the Holocaust because now the world has risen to support Israel,” Karrubi said [Etemad-e Melli, 16 May 2009]. “Why do we speak of the Holocaust, do we want to defend Hitler,” asked Karrubi.

Karrubi has been outspoken in his views that Ahmadinejad’s denial of the Holocaust has reinforced Iran’s isolation on international stage.

Ahmadinejad Speech Sparks Criticism

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Geneva Conference
Monday 20 April . YouTube

President Ahmadinejad's reference to Israel as a racist state at the UN anti-racism conference in Geneva on Monday sparked a walkout by EU delegates and today UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticized Ahmadinejad for "misusing" the conference.

Iran criticised Mr. Ban's comments as "one-sided."

The UN said today that Mr. Ahmadinejad had dropped language from his speech describing the Holocaust as "ambiguous and dubious" [BBC, 21 April]. He spoke instead of "the abuse of the question of the Holocaust."

News from Iran

Reports of the annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day demonstrations against Israel and the state of US-Iran relations dominated the coverage in Iranian media. President Ahmadinejad said if the Holocaust really happened, the Western countries were responsible and should be making up for it and should provide land for “all the Zionists.” Ahmadinejad called for moving the Israelis to Alaska and Canada. On US-Iran relations, Ahmadinejad said no talks with Washington until US changes its positions against the Islamic Republic.

On military front, Iran announced development of a new 2000-pound optically-guided “smart” bomb, called Ghadr. The Iranian air force inaugurated a new air base near the border with Afghanistan. The air force commander said the base was needed to counter the threats posed by US forces in Afghanistan. On nuclear issue, Iran reiterated its position that it will not suspend its uranium enrichment. France called for tougher sanctions to force Iran to suspend its enrichment program.

Quds (Jerusalem) Day

· Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said if the Holocaust really happened, the Western countries have been responsible for it; he called on the West to make up for it; Ahmadinejad said Israelis should be expelled to Alaska and Canada; he said there are plenty of lands available for “the Zionists” in Alaska and Canada.
· President Ahmadinejad vowed Iran would continue resistance until “all of Palestine is liberated from Israel's hands.”
· Tens of thousands of Iranians marched in solidarity with Palestinians in cities across Iran; the crowd chanted "Death to Israel" in annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day.

US-Iran Relations

· President George Bush said US is not gearing up to attack Iran; President Bush said he remains committed to resolve the nuclear standoff diplomatically; he said Iran needs to suspend its nuclear program; Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said President Bush’s condition for suspension of enrichment is not acceptable.
· Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said no talks with US until Washington changes its policies toward Iran; he said Iran is worried about US “warmongers” and their atomic bombs.
· Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said Iran is prepared to hold talks with US based on mutual rights and without preconditions; Hosseini said President Bush’s remarks of not gearing up to attack Iran was clearer than before; he added talks conditional on suspension of enrichment is unacceptable.
· US military commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, said Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, was a member of IRGC’s Quds Force; Gen. Petraeus said US military can not move against Ambassador Qumi due to his diplomatic immunity; Gen. Petraeus accused Quds Force of “lethal activities” inside Iraq.
· Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said American officials hinder freedom of Iranian national Mahmoud Farhadi arrested in Suleymaniya and five Iranian consular officials in Erbil; Hosseini said the efforts made so far have got nowhere due to American procrastination; he insisted Farhadi was a businessman and was not smuggling roadside bombs into Iraq; US military accuses Farhadi of smuggling bombs and membership in IRGC’s Quds Force.
· Iraqi national security adviser Muaffak Al Rubaie said attack on Iran will be a “fatal mistake”; Al Rubaie also accused Iran of meddling into Iraq’s internal affairs; "Our neighbors are playing a very negative role," he said of Iran.
· French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Iran does everything in Iraq to promote conflicts between religious sects; Kouchner said Iran gives assistance to both Shia and Sunni militias; he added Iraq has become a “dream sphere of influence” for Iran.

Iran Nuclear Program

· International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) delegation arrived in Tehran for talks over Iran’s nuclear program; the talks covered outstanding questions related to P1 and P2 centrifuges used in uranium enrichment.
· IAEA chief Mohammad ElBaradei warned Iran must soon provide key details on its nuclear research capabilities and its nuclear weaponization capacity; ElBaradei added nobody would be able to support Iran if it does not come clean on all outstanding questions.
· French President Nicolas Sarkozy called for tougher sanctions against Iran; "Between resignation and war, there is a responsible attitude: increasing sanctions to bring Iran to reason,” said Sarkozy; Britain backed France on Iran sanctions; EU was to debate on 15 October whether to impose its own set of new sanctions against Iran; French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner proposed exploring “new European measures” in parallel to negotiations on a new UNSC resolution.
· Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini ruled out any suspension of uranium enrichment activities; Hosseini said talks of nuclear freeze are “outdated.”
· Iran’s President Ahmadinejad said President Bush’s call for an end to Iranian enrichment program is a mistake; “This strategy is useless,” said Ahmadinejad; he added Iran considers it meaningless to talk about nuclear rights of Iranian nation”; Ahmadinejad said Iran has overcome difficult hurdles on its nuclear path and no power can stop it now.

Major Domestic Storylines

· Iranian military announced it has developed a new 2,000-pound optically guided smart bomb called Ghadr; the precision ordnance is a new version of Ghased, also a 2,000-pound smart bomb developed earlier this year; in August, Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) test-fired Ghased from its F-4 and F-5 fighter jets; production line for 200-pound bombs was inaugurated in August.
· IRIAF inaugurated a new air force base in Birjand, near Iran’s eastern border with Afghanistan; IRIAF Commander Brig. Gen. Ahmad Mighani said inauguration of the airbase was aimed at responding to a possible attack on Iran from US forces in Afghanistan; IRIAF operated 12 bases mostly in Western regions of Iran.
· Student protestors demonstrated against a visit to University of Tehran by Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad; Keyhan estimated number of protestors at 600; protestors chanted anti-Ahmadinejad slogans; students carried placards calling for release from prison of their fellow students.

Major Regional Storylines

· Iran reopened its border with Iraqi Kurdistan; the border was closed in protest of arrest of an Iranian national, Mahmoud Farhadi; US military accused Farhadi of smuggling deadly roadside bombs into Iraq; Farhadi was still in US custody.
· British Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreed to support any possible US air strikes and Special Forces raids against IRGC bases; Britain's Special Air Service Regiment was tasked to take part in any Special Forces raids inside Iran; the Royal Navy was also expected to combat Iranian retaliation in the Persian Gulf.
· Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said Iran insists on its sovereignty over three islands of Abu Moussa and Greater and Lesser Tunbs; “The ownership of islands is not a negotiable issue,” Mohammad Ali Hosseini said; The Kuwaiti foreign minister speaking at UN General Assembly said the islands belong to UAE and not to Iran; Hosseini rejected Kuwaiti declaration.
· Iran’s Majlis Speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Alel said Israel is not in a “position to have the illusion of attacking Iran”; Haddad Adel was asked whether recent Israeli air strike on Syria was a message for Iran.

Ahmadinejad Attacks Israel

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressing a large crowd in Tehran gathered to celebrate the Quds (Jerusalem) Day said if the Holocaust really happened, the Western countries have been responsible for it. He added that the West should be making up for it. Ahmadinejad said “there are plenty of lands in the West, especially in Canada and Alaska that can be dedicated to the Zionists. Give them this land and get rid of this problem.” (Fars News Agency, 5 October).

Ahmadinejad increasingly has been raising questions and doubts on the Holocaust coupled with renewed calls for “expulsion” of Israel from the Middle East. His latest talks on availability of land in Alaska and Canada are among his harshest comments on elimination of the Israeli state.

These are critical days for Iran and the Iranian people. Ahmadinejad’s irresponsible and hateful comments on the Holocaust and on the existence of the state of Israel run against the interests of the country and the people of Iran. Ahmadinejad’s behavior is pushing Iran closer to brink of a disaster.

Ahmadinejad at Columbia

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad faced protestors at Columbia University where he spoke to students and faculty.

In his welcoming remarks, Columbia’s President Lee Bollinger told Ahmadinejad that he presents “all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator.” Bollinger offered a sharply-worded indictment against Ahmadinejad and the Islamic Republic.

Bollinger took Ahmadinejad to task over Iran's human-rights record and foreign policy, and Ahmadinejad's statements denying the Holocaust and calling for the disappearance of Israel. In response, Ahmadinejad protested against what he called “insults” by the University president.

During the speech, he reiterated his view that Palestinians were punished because of the Holocaust and had to give up their land to accommodate the state of Israel. Ahmadinejad called for a referendum by all Palestinians to determine the future of the area. He refused to directly answer repeated questions whether he was calling for the elimination of Israel.

Starting this morning, the university's Department of Public Safety, the New York Police Department and the US Secret Service had put into effect strict security measures at University's campus and surrounding streets.

Earlier in the day, Ahmadinejad told reporters at the National Press Club in Washington during a satellite interview that Iran would not launch any attack on Israel. He also reiterated his belief that the US is not preparing an attack on Iran. In the interview, Ahmadinejad struck a soothing tone. He said Iranian foreign policy was based on humanitarian concerns and seeking justice.

Ahmadinejad arrived in New York on Sunday. He will attend the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

In an appearance at CBS program "60 Minutes" aired on Sunday evening, Ahmadinejad was asked whether Iran's goal was to obtain a nuclear bomb. Ahmadinejad said that the answer was a "firm no." He added that Iran doesn’t need the bomb, “What need do we have for a bomb?"

Ahmadinehad also assured the American audience that Iran was not heading for war with the United States. Asked whether he was denying that Iran supplied weapons to militants in Iraq, he avoided a clear answer. "It's very clear the situation. The insecurity in Iraq is detrimental to our interests," he said.

Ahmadinejad is to visit Latin American allies Bolivia and Venezuela after his trip to the United Nations.

Zero Degree Turn

A miniseries produced and shown in Iranian TV portrays with sympathy the plight of Jews in World War II Holocaust. Zero Degree Turn, as the miniseries is called, tells the story of an Iranian diplomat stationed in Paris in the 1940’s who gave out about 500 Iranian passports to Jews to escape occupied France on their way to Palestine.

The show is based on a true story of diplomats in Iranian Embassy in Paris during the war who helped Jews escape the Fascists and the Holocaust.

The Holocaust is rarely mentioned in state media in Iran and school textbooks don't discuss it. The Iranian president has questioned whether the Holocaust even took place. But the miniseries could probably not be shown on state television without the expressed approval of the office of the supreme leader.

The miniseries also portrays women in 1940s Paris without Islamic Hijab, breaking another taboo in the shows produced in Iran. The series began in April and is shown on Monday nights.

President Bush Threatens Iran

President Bush delivering his starkest warning

against the Islamic Republic . Timesonline

President Bush today launched his strongest attack on Islamic Republic, accusing it of threatening to place the Middle East under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust. President Bush said he has authorized US military commanders in Iraq to confront Iran’s “murderous activities.”

The president accused his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, of openly supporting violent forces within Iraq. Bush implicitly called for a regime change in Iran, calling for “an Iran whose government is accountable to its people, instead of leaders who promote terror and pursue technology that could be used to develop nuclear weapons.”

Hours after the president’s speech, US troops detained two Iranian diplomats and six members of an Iranian delegation visiting Baghdad to negotiate business contracts with Iraqi officials. They were blindfolded and handcuffed before being taken away from their hotel. Their luggage and computer equipment were also confiscated. The US military holds another five Iranian official since January. The five were arrested in the Iraqi northern city of Irbil and the US military contends that among them is the chief of operations of the Revolutionary Guards’ notorious Quds Force.