Ahmadinejad: We hope US policy change will be substantial

Geneva, April 20, IRNA -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran fully welcomes US change of policy and hopes these changes are real and substantial.

Speaking to industrialists and businessmen in Switzerland Chamber of Commerce, he said that 29 years ago the US severed ties with Iran unilaterally in the belief that the action could condemn and punish the country.

The US made a very grave mistake because it did not understand the Iranian nation and made blind decisions.

In the past 29 years ago the US has made several mistakes about Iran, he said adding that the US, by adopting wrong policies, insulted the Iranian nation but the Iranian nation successfully traversed the path to development.

"We do not expect deep rooted problems dating back to 30 or 60 years ago to be resolved swiftly but the fact is that the move goes in its proper track," said the Iranian president.

"We hope the US administration will choose the right path and we pray for them and will spare no efforts to materialize this," he said.

Since the Islamic Republic of Iran is the harbinger for global cooperation, the country declared about two years ago that the massive global change is on the way and voiced readiness to contribute to this, he said.

"Once again in last year I reminded (them of) this in a congratulatory message to President Barack Obama which was a remarkable move," said President Ahmadinejad.

Many losses have been inflicted on the Iranian people by the United States of America, he said adding, "We welcome US change of policy provided these changes are fundamental and essential."

He noted, "We should build a new world and change the present yardsticks on the belief that all human beings are respectable with equal right to exists," he said.

World in need of economic revolution

Tehran, April 20, IRNA - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that the world is in need of an economic revolution and also a change in its attitudes towards man and society.

The President made the remark after a meeting with the heads of the Geneva-based United Nations organizations in Switzerland on the sidelines of the Durban-2 International Conference which focuses on racism and racist practices.

He described the meeting as a collective effort on the part of the international community to find a way to eliminate racism and hoped the event will serve as a useful step towards solving the issue of racism in the world.

Referring to the position of man in the hierarchy of creation, he said the God Almighty has urged the human beings to develop their potentials in a bid to gain the abilities to build up a society based on peaceful relations, friendship and fraternity.

He believed the world should be administered by people who shared similar viewpoints so that those in power do not regard people as their slaves or treat them discriminately.

The president also stressed the need for transforming world structures and establishing a culture of peaceful co-existence.

Since unjust leaders are handling the global affairs and only seek their personal, factional and racist interests, the existing problems cannot be resolved.

On the status of human rights in Iran, he said due to domination of Islamic culture and human values in Iran, freedom is at its highest level in the country.

All people enjoy equal rights in Iran before the law and there is no discrimination among the Iranian people who enjoy equal rights in social and political arenas, underlined the Iranian president.

On the status of human rights in the world, he said the world is in dire need of a massive movement to urge others to observe the human rights and ethical values, he said.

On illegal immigrants, the Iranian president said the host countries should recognize the legitimate rights of immigrants and fully respect them.

There are some three million immigrants living in Iran and the country is now regarded as a generous country to this end, he said.

On elimination of poverty and promotion of welfare in developing countries as well as controlling the current economic meltdown in the world, he said the economic crisis has hit international markets.

The root-cause of this crisis should be identified in order to remove it, he said.

On shortage of budget in the United Sates of America, he said they try to export their problems to other parts of the world while making use of global economic benefits unilaterally, he pointed out.

The pillar of the global economy should be based on justice, ethics and human values and the world economic system should serve people and help promote friendship and peace, he said.

The entire world needs an economic revolution, underlined the Iranian president, adding "If the global economy serves a specific group or race, its problems will increase."

The current economic meltdown will be worsened and therefore all should find a way out of it, said President Ahmadinejad.

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