Ahmadinejad: Iran Not Walking Toward War

Iranian Leader Tells Scott Pelley His Country Does Not Need Nuclear Weapons

(CBS)  The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, knows how to infuriate the Western world and he did it again last week when he asked to visit ground zero. Ahmadinejad plans to be in New York this week for the U.N. General Assembly meeting. The man who questions the truth behind the Holocaust is expected to demand, once again, the elimination of Israel.

60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley spoke with Ahmadinejad on Thursday in the garden outside his office in Tehran. Pelley spoke to the president about America's angry reaction to his plan to visit the World Trade Center site. The president told 60 Minutes, in light of the objections, he wouldn't press for it.

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"Sir, what were you thinking?" Pelley asked. "The World Trade Center site is the most sensitive place in the American heart, and you must have known that visiting there would be insulting to many, many Americans."

"Why should it be insulting," Ahmadinajad said.

"Well, sir, you're the head of the government of an Islamist state that the United States government says is a major exporter of terrorism around the world," Pelley replied.

"We obviously are very much against any terrorist action and any killing. And also we are very much against any plots to sow the seeds of discord among nations," Ahmadinejad said. "Usually you go to these sites to pay your respects. And also to perhaps to air your views about the root causes of such incidents."

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Watch the full interview

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Ahmadinejad told Pelley the U.S. and Iran could be friends, but 60 Minutes wanted to know about the growing evidence that Iranian weapons and bomb components are being used against U.S. forces in Iraq.

"It is an established fact now that Iranian bombs and Iranian know-how are killing Americans in Iraq. You have American blood on your hands. Why?" Pelley asked.

"Well, this is what the American officials are saying. Again, American officials wherever around the world that they encounter a problem which they fail to resolve, instead of accepting that, they prefer to accuse others," the president replied. "I'm very sorry that because of the wrong decisions taken by American officials, Iraqi people are being killed and also American soldiers. It's very regrettable."

"The American Army has captured Iranian missiles in Iraq. The critical elements of the explosively formed penetrator bombs that are killing so many people are coming from Iran. There's no doubt about that anymore. The denials are no longer credible, sir," Pelley pointed out.

"Very good. If I may. Are you an American politician? Am I to look at you as an American politician or a reporter? This is what the American officials are claiming," Ahmadinejad replied. "If they accuse us 1,000 times, the truth will not change."

"Are you saying that it is not the policy of this government to send weapons into Iraq? Sir, forgive me, you're smiling, but this is a very serious matter to America," Pelley said.

"Well, it's serious for us as well. I daresay it's serious for everyone," Ahmadinejad told Pelley. "It seems to me it's laughable for someone to turn a blind eye to the truth and accuse others. It doesn't help. And the reason that I'm smiling, again, it's because that the picture is so clear. But American officials refuse to see it."

Asked if he could very simply and directly say that Iran is not sending weapons to Iraq, Ahmadinejad said, "We don't need to do that. We are very much opposed to war and insecurity…"

"Is that a 'No,' sir?" Pelley asked.

"…by Iraq. It's very clear the situation. The insecurity in Iraq is detrimental to our interests," Ahmadinejad said.

President Ahmadinejad is 50, with a wife and three grown kids. He's the son of a blacksmith, said to be very religious and incorruptible. He was elected two years ago largely by rural and poor voters. Back in the 1980's, during Iraq's ruinous invasion of Iran, he was reportedly an elite Army intelligence officer in the war with Saddam Hussein.

"Mr. President, you must have rejoiced more than anyone when Saddam Hussein fell. You owe President Bush. This is one of the best things that's ever happened to your country," Pelley said.

"Once the dictator was toppled, many people were happy," Ahmadinejad agreed. "But the American government did not appropriately use this golden opportunity. They should have left the Iraqi people to go their own way and to determine their own fate."

[mbkij]

Scott Pelly, what an embarrassment! In the future, the producers of 60 Minutes should make a better selection (journalist, reporter, writer ... whatever) than Scott Pelly, a simple, average, American "Journalist" for interviewing a head of state. Scott Pelly was an embarrassment on the first interview with the President of Iran, clearly the blame for the second interview rest with 60 Minutes producers. And to think I though so highly of 60 Minutes, I recorded this broadcast. I just played it back a third time ... yep! It''s an embarrassment!

[mbkij]

Scott Pelly, what an embarrassment! In the future, the producers of 60 Minutes should make a better selection (journalist, reporter, writer ... whatever) than Scott Pelly, a simple, average, American "Journalist" for interviewing a head of state. Scott Pelly was an embarrassment on the first interview with the President of Iran, clearly the blame for the second interview rest with 60 Minutes producers. And to think I though so highly of 60 Minutes, I recorded this broadcast. I just played it back a third time ... yep! It''s an embarrassment!

[nina_hoff]

It%u2019s hard to believe that in less than an hour, single-handedly, Scott Pelley managed to wipe out from our minds all the significant reporting he had done throughout his career and replace it with disbelief and disgust for his now exposed narcissism and pro-Bush bias. Mr. Pelley, steeping too deep in your sea of arrogance sank you miserably. Your efforts on the CBS morning show the next day to balance out the terrible job that you had done was just as pathetic as your interview. You owe a big public apology to your country for having made it look so ignorant and stupid to the rest of the world. I hope your Emmy awards from the past keep you good company from here on, because we sure will no longer keep you company by tuning in to see your reports. If after years of being a journalist, you still can''t be respectful and professional towards your guest regardless of who he or she is, you don%u2019t deserve any respect or recognition from your audience. The only good that may come out of your childish and embarrassing interview is if the students at the Texas Tech Journalism School learn from the awkward and humiliating job that you did and know better to let their need to please a certain group of people overcome their better judgement. You better start thinking about what answer you would give to your children, when they are old and wise enough to ask you what the **** you were thinking handling this interview as inappropriately as you did, and why???

[mcinchap]

That was an interview? Scott Pelley got schooled. Personally, I find it hopeful to see that so many other Americans who have posted their comments are smart enough to see what''s going on and more importantly are no longer afraid to speak up about it. Our country needs an ***.

[simonmalthus]

Scott Pelley should be embarrassed.

[simonmalthus]

Scott Pelley should be embarrassed.

[simonmalthus]

Scott Pelley should be embarrassed.

[joewest3]

You can add me to the list of those who found this interview bizarre, embarrassing, surreal and so not 60 Minutes. What were you guys thinking. I thought Sean Hannity had entered Scott''s body.

[whyarts]

Ahmadinejad''s great sin is that he questions why Middle Easterners have been made to pay - with their homes, their lands, their lives and their children''s lives - for the European genocide of European Jews. He recognizes that oil is the reason for our obsession with the Middle East. Oil is the reason post-WWII Europe and America carved out a country in the Middle East to resettle Western Jews. Oil is why we''ve meddled for decades in Iran and why we invaded Iraq and won''t leave. It''s why we remain friendly with the ruling family of Saudi Arabia, the bin Ladens, even after 17 Saudi Arabians crashed airplanes into American buildings. Our need for oil is the thing we hate. We don''t want to know about it. We don''t want to hear someone tell us about it. We''d rather smear that man and ruin his country than listen to him tell us how desperately and ruthlessly we need his oil.

[smohan1950]

Did Steve Pelley remember to ask President Bush if he had "American blood on his hands"?

[skeezix06]

I''ll say it again. Setting aside the fact that Ahmadinejad is a nutcase, Pelley didn''t bother to build a foundation for the "questions" he asked on the interview. He started with assumptions and proceeded directly to the accusations. This is not what I would call a good interview or journalism. I thought 60 Minutes was mostly above that.

Hi Andy, wherever you are. I''ll still tune in for you.

[ejunge1]

I agree with many of the viewers that the arrogance of the 60 minute reporter actually created sympathy for Ahmadinejad, and made the reporter look like Bush''s mouthpiece and a representative of FOX news. If CBS wanted to criticize the Iranian president, why didn''t 60 minutes ask an Iranian dissident to respond or present a point of view, which would have been more effective? Maybe because even an Iranian would have been compelled to criticise the crude, insulting manner of the reporter? Or maybe because they would also criticize an equally disturbing leader, President Bush? This approach was simplistic, and only strengthened a vulnerable leader like Ahmadinejad.

[andreascohen-2009]

Dear Gaye5, you sound hateful, and yet your fellow citizen rshoff2 considers you a voice of truth on hateful Muslims. I am a Republican. We have good strong arguments to use to defend your opinion in a mature educated less hateful way. I am an American Jew. I am 100% pro-Israel & strongly dislike Ahmadinejad. My father was a respected Rabbi until he died. Ahmadinejad''s past comments were a direct insult to my heritage. But, for heaven%u2019s sake, the Iranians DO NOT castrate their daughters! Women are required to cover their hair but with just a scarf. They are not required to wear the "chador" or cover their faces if they don%u2019t want to. Many wear makeup on the street; the rich ones even carry Coach bags and wear Prada shoes! Women are politicians, doctors, engineers, professors, actresses. Ahmadinejad is a scary fanatic jerk, but that does not justify ignorance on our part. Men in America batter their wives and verbally abuse women and children too. Our women get raped in the shopping mall parking lots in broad daylight. Can you blame the Torah or the Bible (or the Koran) for the abusive husbands reported every night on OUR local and national news? I read the Koran years ago when I was a Religious Studies student in college. Your angry comments are not the same as the truth. If we, members of the most brilliant country in the world, can%u2019t get our facts straight, how can we expect the third-world kid growing up to be the next Ahmadinejad get his facts straight about us?

[dobieluv]

I usually enjoy watching 60 minutes. But after this interview I was completely embarrassed to have this "journalist" speaking for "all Amercians" and doubt I will be interested in watching anything produced by Scott Pelley again. His interviewing tactics were immature, borderline offensive and completely lacked any type of respect that any head of state deserves. Every question posed to the President of Iran should be posed to George Bush. Scott Pelley offended me as an American who opposes the occupation of Iraq.

[tvguy32]

The interviewer has assumed he speaks for the entire nation, I agree with Iranian President on that. This interview REALLY makes America look VERY ignorant. Get a different reporter...I recommend anyone from the BBC. This is also a reason I LEFT the tv business and stopped watching it.

[digistew]

I don''t watch 60 minutes anymore either and after reading this it confirms why. A terrible interview and interviewer with ridiculous questions. What happened to good journalism?? Mainstream media is in the toilet. It is all to clear why Dan Rather is suing CBS.

[digistew]

I don''t watch 60 minutes anymore either and after reading this it confirms why. A terrible interview and interviewer with ridiculous questions. What happened to good journalism?? Mainstream media is in the toilet. It is all to clear why Dan Rather is suing CBS.

[digistew]

I don''t watch 60 minutes anymore either and after reading this it confirms why. A terrible interview and interviewer with ridiculous questions. What happened to good journalism?? Mainstream media is in the toilet. It is all to clear why Dan Rather is suing CBS.

[rshoff2]

Gaye5: Thank you. You are one of the few voices of truth I hear these days. It''s simple. You said it so clearly. Thank you. I hope you keep saying it.

[rshoff2]

Scott is an American. He does his job, some like it, some don''t. Iran is a problem. Please take you anger and use it for good purposes in protecting our liberties. If ''whats his name'' (and no, I don''t recognize him as a leader of anything but oppression) had his way, your daughters would be castrated, your wives would be covered up, and you would be left to bring home the bacon... On your own. Is that what you people want? I feel sorry for the Iranians. I''m ashamed by the Americans acceptance and support of the Iranian jerk. And, I know it falls on deaf ears. You don''t care. I guess that makes you one of the arrogant ones, just like Scott, huh?