President Khatami said that the Iranian nation and government will not give in to foreign threats and will strongly proceed with its principles of independence, progress, morality and freedom.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, President Khatami said, "we advise those who are pursuing war-mongering policy under the influence of certain lobbies, to get rid of the false interpretation of situation in Iran and apologize to the Iranian nation and government for the misdeeds of the past."

We think that only an apology from the United States will create crack in the long wall of mistrust in Tehran-Washington relations, President Khatami said.

He said that making such interventionist statement by the US president is not new. The problem with the US administration lies with their illogical arrogance and false interpretation of the global issues including that of Iran, he said.

"Unfortunately, the extremist policy has formed a part of the US administration's approach toward the global issues. They threaten the world with war and subversive actions posing a threat to the entire world and the US interests at first," President Khatami said.

He hoped that the well-wishers of the international community would advise the US administration to retract from the extremist and war-mongering policy in a bid not to fall into the traps more disastrous than what it experienced in Vietnam war.

President Khatami said that the great Iranian nation is moving forward to freedom, independence and its lofty aspiration. They brought about the Islamic Revolution which has been a model popular movement at the contemporary era.

He said that the Iranian nation brought about the Islamic Revolution to put an end to a corrupt regime and the lackey of the United States.

Referring to the history of Iran-US relations, President Khatami said that the 1953 US-engineered military coup has been the thorny issue in the history of relations between Iranian and American nations.

He said that the former (Clinton) administration admitted to US direct involvement in the black military coup against the national government of Mohammad Mossadeq in 1953 which helped the deposed Pahlavi regime to continue for another 25 years.

"I think that the US former administration was fair enough to admit the US misdeeds about Iran in the past and had also concerns about national interests of the United States," President Khatami said citing the example of admitting the US direct role in 1953 military takeover.

"It is surprising that the US says it supports democracy while it has always been the supporter of every military coup taking place in the world community. The US always supports unpopular and despotic regimes around the world," President Khatami said.

President Khatami said that the United States has proved its hostility toward the Iranian nation since establishment of the Islamic Republic with labelling Iran and insulting the great Iranian nation.

He said that those war-mongers in the US administration should know that the Iranian nation with diversity of political thoughts have no dispute on the topic of standing against any foreign intervention especially from the US.

Mirdamadi: Iranian reformists need no help from US president

"We will appreciate it if President Bush avoids creating obstacles for Iran's reform movement," he said.

Responding to the latest statement by President George W. Bush on Iran's reform, he said the reforms advocated by US officials differs fundamentally from those envisaged by Iranian reformists.

"As Iran's people move towards a future defined by greater freedom, they will have no better friend than the United States of America," Bush said on Friday.

He also called for removal of existing obstacles hindering reforms in Iran.

"In our opinion, reforms means return to the main motto of the Islamic Revolution which is Independence, Freedom and Islamic Republic and we will revive this fundamental motto which many have forgotten," Mirdamadi declared.

Until the various dimensions of the forgotten motto are not restored, reforms will bear no fruit, he said, adding, "The importance of 'freedom' and 'republic' in the motto is more important than 'independence' and by no means we should sacrifice one to achieve the other."

'Freedom' and 'Independence' are components of one whole and cannot be separated, he said.

"Our problem is that some, who turn to the importance of 'independence', believe that we should limit freedom or repress it while others may think that we should not be sensitive to 'independence' while achieving 'freedom'," he pointed out.

"We attach importance to the freedom which is achieved through hardship and it is the people themselves who should attain it although the process may take long," Mirdamadi said.

'Republic' means the people's participation in all arenas as well as materialization of their aspirations in administrative affairs by safeguarding 'independence', he said.

The motto of 'Independence', 'Freedom' and 'Islamic Republic' is considered as a unique and inseparable term which should be protected by all, he said.

"I think the US administration which has described Iran as being a part of an 'axis of evil' has grossly insulted the Iranian nation and should avoid such abuses, interference and obstructions. There is no need to help reform movement in the Islamic Republic of Iran," he underlined.

Reformists in Iran, by relying on the increasing public awareness and safeguarding the independence, will continue their path to reform, he concluded.

... Payvand News - 7/14/02 ... --