Iranian Leader Opens Up

Ahmadinejad Speaks Candidly With Mike Wallace About Israel, Nukes, Bush

(CBS) 
After Ahmadinejad answered the question, an assistant handed the president a note. Asked what he was telling him, Ahmadinejad said he had been told to rearrange his jacket.

"Why are they worried about your jacket? I think you look just fine," Wallace said, laughing.

"That is right. They have told me the same thing. They tell me that it's a very nice looking coat," Ahmadinejad replied.

Asked if he is a vain man, Ahmadinejad said, "Sometimes appearances - yes, you have to look your back… that is why I comb my hair."

"What do you do for leisure?" Wallace asked.

"I study. I read books. I exercise. And, of course, I spend some time - quality time - with my family," said Ahmadinejad, who is a father of three.

"How long has it been since the leaders of Iran and the leaders of the U.S. have had any conversations?" Wallace asked.

"Twenty-six, 27 years," the president replied.

Asked if he has a desire to resume relations with the United States, Ahmadinejad said, "Who cut the relations, I ask you."

"That's not the point. The question is would you, the president of Iran, like to resume relations which have been gone for 26, 27 years with the United States," Wallace pressed.

"Well, we are interested to have relations with all governments … and all nations. This is a principle of my foreign policy," Ahmadinejad said.

"I know that," Wallace said.

"Allow me to finish myself," Ahmadinejad said.

"Why don't you just answer, say yes or no?" Wallace asked. "Do you want to have relations now, after 26, 27 years, with the United States? What harm could come from that?"

"We are not talking about harm. The conditions, conducive conditions, have to be there," Ahmadinejad said.

Asked what those "conducive conditions" are, the president said, "Well, please look at the makeup of the American administration, the behavior of the American administration. See how they talk down to my nation. They want to build an empire. And they don't want to live side by side in peace with other nations."

"Who does not? Washington does not?" Wallace asked.

"The American government, sir. It is very clear to me they have to change their behavior and everything will be resolved," Ahmadinejad answered.

"I am told that your aides want us to wind up our interview. But you kindly promised to answer my questions," Wallace said. "And I still have just a few left."

"Well, you might have five more hours of questions now," Ahmadinejad said. "Well, I have other appointments to get to. It's time for the night prayer, sir."

"Last one," Wallace said. "You have a special unit of martyr seekers in your revolutionary guard. They claim they have 52,000 trained suicide bombers ready to attack American and British targets if America should attack Iran."

"So, are you expecting the Americans to threaten us and we sit idly by and watch them with our hands … tied?" Ahmadinejad said.

Asked if the Americans have threatened him, Ahmadinejad said: "I do hope that the Americans will give up this practice of threatening other nations so that you are not forced me to ask such questions. I wish you well."

[sina3]

i think he is so invalid in speaking.and he doesnt know anything about policy.its better for him and iranians people that he tell nothing.

[mburlone]

Yasmin, while bigdawg may have erroneous views, you have nullified any prudence in your words as a result of your stereotyping our own midwestern citizens. How easy it is to see the fault in others yet be blind to our own similar shortcomings.

[yasmin9-2009]

bigdawg: That nuke will include you, dear. You can't nuke just one country, the fallout will further ruin the planet where Bush and his corporations may have missed. It is amazing how you and your ilk seem to "know" what Iran wants and does not want. Too much Fox News? Not enough research? Look closely, it is Bush who wants war and we already have "the bomb" and plenty of them. We threatened them first, remember? "Condy" got on all the news channels and gave them only days to respond, even though they had written to Bush weeks before with no answer. Honey, you - you are the stone age with your corn-stalk thinking straight from the flatlands, a real doll.

[yasmin9-2009]

To ouromorrows: The point is, Iran is not the U.S. Yes, they have ways that are quite uncomfortable to our way of thinking and compared to our own freedoms; however, it is not up to us to change all that country by country. It isn't even working now. Bush is pretending that he is "liberating" women (not) and bringing Democracy. Iran would not be the only country as a "victim" of American imperialism; we still have bases in several countries after 40-50 years. Bush wants Iran out of the way; sees it as a threat to Israel. Period. So we are looking for ways to demonize Iran. One way is to point out how different they are from us and all the bad things they have done. Demonizing again, shades of Iraq. My advice is to start that search at home. We bombed Hiroshima needlessly; thousands dead, maimed for life, even thoughnegotiations had begun. We just wanted to see what the bomb would do. Then we bombed Nagasaki. We knew the Japanese were going for Pearl Harbor and we let it happen, sacrificed our own men and women. And then 911, our dirtywork. Why? We, my friend, are the real terrorists. And p.s. Just look at what is happening to protesters here these days. Not so different, many comparisons. Pretty scary.

[mari241]

Man online
Did u also know that saddam hussein was supported by The USA for over 20 years and suddently he became terrorists when the USA had no interest in him anymore. Did you also know that bin ladin and the talibans were supported by USA one.

[mari241]

man online

you need to get out more and try to learn more about other religions and cultures. And don't think that everyone should be like americans and if they are not they are behind. And you are so busy judgeing other countries that you are also forgeting what Americn is doing to other countries. YOu said that Iran is constantly thretening other countries. For your information it is ur country America who is doing that and wants every country to be under its control.
you said Iran is still living in 1500. Actually Iran is far better than its neighboring countries, one of the reasons they are poor is bc they had sanctioned on them by America, yea it is a poor country comapare to America but they are not behind. Compare a high school graduate from Iran to one in America, you will see the difference.

[emmasemsara]

I%u2019m an Iranian American living in the Washington area. Like other Iranian Americans I was curious to hear what Mr. Ahmadinejad had to say to Mike Wallace last Sunday on %u201C60 Minutes.%u201D To my surprise, and confirmed by many fair-minded friends, Mr. Ahmadinejad was a considerable success, and, I%u2019m sure, he was applauded by many viewers. He appeared candid, confident, and on the right side of most of the issues raised by Mr. Wallace. By contrast I found Mr. Wallace%u2019s line of questioning%u2014as well as his aggressive and disrespectful demeanor%u2014rather disappointing. In response to Mr. Ahmadinejad%u2019s comment about Mr. Bush%u2019s lack of love for other nations, Mr. Wallace could have challenged Mr. Ahmadinejad if he loved his own country? If so, how could an oil rich country tolerate so much poverty and lack of basic necessities in rural areas? Why is the rate of unemployment, the consumption of drugs, and prostitution so high in the cities? Why are Iranian journalists and civil rights activists routinely persecuted, imprisoned, and occasionally executed? Would it not be more appropriate for Mr. Ahmadinejad and his superiors to tend to their domestic problems first, instead of lecturing other rulers or arming Hizbollah?
Although I am supplying my name, I should like to protect my anonymity and sign off simply as an Iranian American.

Sincerely

[donfugate1]

Mike Wallace,
He didn't push away any of your questions? Do you have amnesia? He didn't answer anything of substance. This guy is dangerous. I could care less what he does in his spare time. He used you like a puppet.
It's time for you to hang it up as a used to be great journalist.

[wingnutjune]

Dear America:

Thank you for giving my family and I a chance to live freely, make something of ourselves, get the best education and live out our dreams back in 1979! If it wasn't for you... I would be forced to cover myself up to my eye balls, treated like a 3rd class citizen because I'm a woman, most likely beaten, jailed, thrown acid on my face, or even burried up to my neck to be stoned like that poor woman 10 years ago who refused to bow to Islamic law of the land! Again, I say THANK YOU beautiful and free nation! May your loving and open arms never refuse the ones fleeing opperession and dictatorship. Truly you are a nation blessed!
Your adopted daughter!

[ourtomorrows]

In addition, if you listen closely to what the Iranian president is saying, little of it is of any real substance. If you look at it realistically, I find it hard to agree that the President of Iran is any position to lecture the President of the United States on employment and healthcare.
In addition, regardless of your views on Israel, the Iranian President doubts that the Holocaust even took place saying that "further investigation" was needed.
He believes Britain and the US control the UN Security Council on which France, China and Russia all sit as permanent members with veto power. In the last five years France and Russia have scuttled US requests to the UNSC numerous times.
We in America can criticize our President and government, protest against them, attend rallies that support Hezbollah and equate Israel with Nazi Germany (ANSWER rally this weekend. Iranians can not do that. Those of you here who speak so glowingly of the Iranian President, what does that mean to you? Lastly, for those who say the interview was badly done or should never have aired, you can't oppose or support something unless you see it up close, the Iranian Pres was presented up close and personal and to me, he is more dangerous than the Bush folk ever painted him to be. It worries me that people seem to be blind to that.

[j-whitman]

Who you gonna believe,, the elected PM of Iran,, or our Liar and Chief Bush? WMD's, Nuclear attacks, No Child Left Behind, our econymy is great? Bush supports those who want the "End Times" real terrorism.

[ourtomorrows]

This message board is quite eye opening. I just watched the interview for the third time taking into account some of the perspectives represented in some of these posts.

I still think Wallace did a good job of pushing teh Iranian president, he did not overstep his bounds but he was tough, as tough as one could expect him to be.

I still also think the Iranian President is a threat. He talks about "democracy" but Iran has steep restrictions on the press, public criticism of the government, and now, on internet usage. And no, the restrictions in Iran are nothing like the Patriot Act or some alleged creeping of the US govt into personal lives. What people say on this site about President Bush, and hundreds of other sites, the protests this weekend by ANSWER in Washington, DC, none of that would be allowed in Iran. People should think about that before making the Iranian President out to be somekind of victim of American imperialism fighting the good fight.

[dara_va_sara]

Hey e_man_online.
Are you for real or are you a total idiot?
You must be one giant idiot to even write this trash about Iran on a serious news-broadcasting site.
Please spear us from any additional non-sense.
Thanks.

[amani242]

The "facts" about Iran in the 1500's are extremely generalized, and can be said of any other nation in the 1500's including Britain. Anyone who thinks that deficient personal hygiene or lack of human rights and subjugation of women is particular to Iran in the 1500's clearly has a bit more research to do. Don't forget women only just got their rights to vote here in the U.S. a few decades ago. Besides that, if Iran was still so technologically handicapped as you suggested, do you truly believe the American government would feel as threatened as it does?
There is a very uncultivated mentality being nurtured here in the U.S. of "you are either with us or against us." It strikes me as very odd that the U.S. is attempting to very probably go to war against Iran for developing nuclear energy. We HAVE nuclear energy right here in the U.S. We have bombs and we have the capability to stage nuclear war. Guess what? So does Israel.Does this mean that only the U.S. and its best friend Israel are allowed to have nuclear energy? Have we really become that superior and ignorant as to hold ourselves above the rest of the world? How can we ask other nations to not gaurantee themselves rights which we gaurantee ourselves?
We all need to STOP hating the Muslim, and or Arab "enemy" and start cultivating our intellect and understanding of other nations, in the same way we cultivate our economic/military forces.

[uphigh1]

In response to "e_man_online" Comparing the characteristics of Iranian culture with societies in the 1500, i have to ask where he got this information from! most of what is stated is just plain absurd and untrue!
The only problem is that the modern country of Iran remains to be under Islamic govermnet which opposes religous laws on ppl. By the way, the revolution that brought Mullahs to power was supported strongly by American goverment to just kick out an old useless puppet and put up a new one. The socialist party at the time was the strngest goverment and U.S. was that they would take over the house. Therefore, they went ahead made deal with Khomeini. But now these new puppets are not taking orders as they used to, so U.S> is unhappy!
U.S. has played roles like this through out its short history in many countries in order to get maximum resources! its not news!
i suggest people should stop following the mainstream media which only serves to big guys.
Lets not get emotional over deep issues and see them unbiasly with its negatives, possites, and all the other elements that had, are, or will affect them.
P.s. I apologize for poor english,English has been my second language for the past 5 yrs.

[medini1]

Mike Wallace's interview with Mr. Ahmadinejad both embarrassed and angered me. It might surprise Mr. Wallace, but some of us really did want to hear what the leader of Iran had to say, without interruption.

I had heard about the lengthy letter Mr. Ahmadinejad sent to Bush. Why didn't the American press tell us the contents of that letter and question Mr. Bush about it? Bush rejected that letter out-of-hand, but I'd like to know the same things this Iranian man wanted to know: Why doesn't George Bush talk to anybody with a different point of view? How does Mr. Bush reconcile his avowed love for Christ and Christian teachings with the amount of death and destruction he has unleashed on Iraq and his support for the destruction of Lebanon? Why does Israel hold so much power over my country--the United States? And how can the world's only alleged Super Power, the US, act with such obvious bias towards some and such blatant hostility towards others? All the above are recipes for disaster, and somebody ought to ask Mr. Bush why he is taking our country down this path.

Mr. Wallace threw away a rare opportunity. The only thing he proved--to me, to Mr. Ahmadinejad, and to the world--is that both Mike and George are fools.

[shah1942]

HEY MARI 241

IF HUMAN RIGHT OR THE RIGHT OF WOMEN IS HAVING PLAYBOY AND *** MARRIGE OR HAVING MADDONA AND PAMELA ANDERSON WE DO NOT WANT THAT.

AND ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND SIENCE AND...
PLEASE READ MORE AND TRY TO HAVE TRIP TO IRAN INSTED OF LISTENING TO FOXNEWS AND CNN.

[shah1942]

we will not let you to make iran like iraq .
never
you still do know iranians well.

we will make our nuke and the only thing that you can do is to pray for your jesus to return from sky and stop us.
as i said before us has 2 options
1:killing all of iranians
2:accept iran as a power in the area

[e_man_online]

The Iranian dictator shows the same characteristics of scum like Hussein, Castro, Chavez, etc:

-No political, administrative or diplomatic attitudes.

-No plan for economic improvement in the long term.

-Constantly talking about how old his culture is. I'd like to ask him if his culture is so old, why are their countries so much behind in everything? They are living in the 1500's or so.

-Stuck in outdated and stupid topics like "illiterate percent of Americans", "Americans who don't have medical insurance", etc. How he dares to compare the quality of life in the US with his country?

-"Answering" the questions with his propaganda of hate.

-Always blaming others for their failures and mistakes.

-Constantly afraid that the "Americans are going to attack" him.

-Having no answer to any question but rambling all the time.

-Being a hater.

He sounds like a deeply-troubled pathological psychological profile.

The people of Iran deserve and can have better than that. They deserve a real leader for the future, a government by freedom that will serve to their people, not to the special interests of greedy rich groups of murderers. This guy that's representing Iran now is a clown.

[e_man_online]

The Iranian dictator tries to sell himself as a dangerous psychopatic character, but maybe US troops will find him hidden under the ground in a cave just like Hussein did. Hussein talked so much about the Holly War inciting his people to suicide attacks etc, but he had a gun when he was found and he didn't killed himself or had the courage to shoot any of the soldiers who captured him.