Iran Leader Offers Obama Landmark Gesture
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday congratulated Barack Obama on his election win - the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a U.S. president-elect since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ahmadinejad sent a message to Obama in which he congratulated the Democrat on "attracting the majority of voters in the election."
The text of the note was carried by the official IRNA news agency.
In the message, Ahmadinejad also said he hopes Obama will "use the opportunity to serve the (American) people and leave a good name for history" during his term in office.
Obama has said he is open to direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders as a way to break the impasse between the two countries or give the U.S. more credibility to press for tougher sanctions if talks on its nuclear program fail. His policy marks a departure from that of the Bush administration, which has refused to engage Iranian leaders.
Iran and U.S. have no formal diplomatic relations since 1979 and the hostage drama when militant Iranian students held 52 Americans captive 444 days.
Current U.S.-Iranian relations remain tense, with Washington accusing Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons and of providing support for Shiite militants who are killing U.S. soldiers in Iraq - charges Iran denies.
In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, a contender for prime minister in her country's elections, warned against any dialogue with Iran - a first sign of Israeli disagreement with the incoming U.S. administration.
"Dialogue at this time is liable to broadcast weakness," cautioned Livni, who is head of the governing Kadima Party. "I think early dialogue at a time when it appears to Iran that the world has given up on sanctions could be problematic."
Israeli officials describe Iran as the biggest threat to the Jewish state's existence, citing Ahmadinejad's frequent calls for Israel's destruction and its development of long-range missiles capable of striking the Jewish state.
Livni has repeatedly said she hopes international diplomacy prevails. But she doesn't rule out force if U.N. sanctions don't pressure Iran to scale back its nuclear aims. In June, she said Iran "needs to understand the military threat exists and is not being taken off the table."
Iran sees Obama's victory as a triumph over the unpopular policies of President Bush, who repeatedly clashed with Iranian leaders while in office over Iran's nuclear program and its opposition to the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.
In his message to Obama Thursday, Ahmadinejad went on to say that "nations of the world" expect changes from Obama - mostly that he will change current U.S. foreign policy.
That policy, the note claimed, was "based on warmongering, occupation, bullying, deception and humiliation, as well as discrimination and unfair relations" and has led to "hatred of all nations and majority of governments toward the U.S. leaders."
Ahmadinejad also said that Obama is expected to replace such a policy with "an approach based on justice and respect, as well as lack of intervention in the affairs of others."
Iranians will welcome such changes, Ahmadinejad added.
Iran's government refused to publicly side with any of the U.S. candidates throughout the presidential race, although Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said last month that Obama seemed "more rational" than John McCain.
U.S. Clamps Down On Iran Financial Transactions
The Bush administration moved Thursday to clamp down on Iran by barring financial institutions from routing certain money transfers through the United States on behalf of Iranian banks, Iran's government and others in the country.
Specifically, the Treasury Department announced that it is revoking Iran's so-called "U-turn" license that until now has allowed for such money transfers under certain conditions.
"This regulatory action will close the last general entry point for Iran to the U.S. financial system," the department said in a release.
Prior to Thursday's action, U.S. financial institutions were allowed to process certain money transfers for Iranian banks and other Iranian customers as long as the payments were initiated offshore by a bank that was not neither Iranian nor American and only passed through the U.S. financial system en route to another offshore bank that was neither Iranian nor American.
"Given Iran's conduct, it is necessary to close even this indirect access," said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The action comes as the Bush administration has repeatedly warned U.S. banks that Iran is using an array of deceptive practices to hide its alleged involvement in nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities. The United States says Iran is resorting to such alleged practices to evade detection and skirt financial sanctions.
Levey said that at one point "U-turn" licenses were widely used to process trade transactions. However, over the last two years there have been fewer "U-turn" transactions reflecting less willingness on the part of U.S. banks to handle them given the United States' ongoing financial crackdown on Iran, Levey told reporters at a briefing on the matter.
Still, Iran has used the "U-turn" transactions "as a hook to solicit foreign banks to process transactions through the United States on its behalf, sometimes with requests to substitute another bank or code word for the Iranian institution," Levey said.
The action doesn't affect otherwise permissible payments such as for shipments of food and medicine, family remittances and the export of informational materials to Iran, Levey said.
Thursday's step marks the latest effort to tighten the financial noose on Iran, which the United States accuses of bankrolling terrorism and seeking a nuclear bomb. The United States has already imposed sanctions on several state-run Iranian banks and businesses along with elements of its defense ministry and Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Sen. Charles Schumer has pressed the administration to impose financial sanctions on Iran's central bank. The department has warned U.S. banks that Bank Markazi, Iran's central bank, is involved in deceptive practices to hide involvement in nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Ahmadinejad sent a message to Obama in which he congratulated the Democrat on "attracting the majority of voters in the election."
The text of the note was carried by the official IRNA news agency.
In the message, Ahmadinejad also said he hopes Obama will "use the opportunity to serve the (American) people and leave a good name for history" during his term in office.
Obama has said he is open to direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders as a way to break the impasse between the two countries or give the U.S. more credibility to press for tougher sanctions if talks on its nuclear program fail. His policy marks a departure from that of the Bush administration, which has refused to engage Iranian leaders.
Iran and U.S. have no formal diplomatic relations since 1979 and the hostage drama when militant Iranian students held 52 Americans captive 444 days.
Current U.S.-Iranian relations remain tense, with Washington accusing Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons and of providing support for Shiite militants who are killing U.S. soldiers in Iraq - charges Iran denies.
In Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, a contender for prime minister in her country's elections, warned against any dialogue with Iran - a first sign of Israeli disagreement with the incoming U.S. administration.
"Dialogue at this time is liable to broadcast weakness," cautioned Livni, who is head of the governing Kadima Party. "I think early dialogue at a time when it appears to Iran that the world has given up on sanctions could be problematic."
Israeli officials describe Iran as the biggest threat to the Jewish state's existence, citing Ahmadinejad's frequent calls for Israel's destruction and its development of long-range missiles capable of striking the Jewish state.
Livni has repeatedly said she hopes international diplomacy prevails. But she doesn't rule out force if U.N. sanctions don't pressure Iran to scale back its nuclear aims. In June, she said Iran "needs to understand the military threat exists and is not being taken off the table."
Iran sees Obama's victory as a triumph over the unpopular policies of President Bush, who repeatedly clashed with Iranian leaders while in office over Iran's nuclear program and its opposition to the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.
In his message to Obama Thursday, Ahmadinejad went on to say that "nations of the world" expect changes from Obama - mostly that he will change current U.S. foreign policy.
That policy, the note claimed, was "based on warmongering, occupation, bullying, deception and humiliation, as well as discrimination and unfair relations" and has led to "hatred of all nations and majority of governments toward the U.S. leaders."
Ahmadinejad also said that Obama is expected to replace such a policy with "an approach based on justice and respect, as well as lack of intervention in the affairs of others."
Iranians will welcome such changes, Ahmadinejad added.
Iran's government refused to publicly side with any of the U.S. candidates throughout the presidential race, although Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said last month that Obama seemed "more rational" than John McCain.
U.S. Clamps Down On Iran Financial Transactions
The Bush administration moved Thursday to clamp down on Iran by barring financial institutions from routing certain money transfers through the United States on behalf of Iranian banks, Iran's government and others in the country.
Specifically, the Treasury Department announced that it is revoking Iran's so-called "U-turn" license that until now has allowed for such money transfers under certain conditions.
"This regulatory action will close the last general entry point for Iran to the U.S. financial system," the department said in a release.
Prior to Thursday's action, U.S. financial institutions were allowed to process certain money transfers for Iranian banks and other Iranian customers as long as the payments were initiated offshore by a bank that was not neither Iranian nor American and only passed through the U.S. financial system en route to another offshore bank that was neither Iranian nor American.
"Given Iran's conduct, it is necessary to close even this indirect access," said Stuart Levey, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The action comes as the Bush administration has repeatedly warned U.S. banks that Iran is using an array of deceptive practices to hide its alleged involvement in nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities. The United States says Iran is resorting to such alleged practices to evade detection and skirt financial sanctions.
Levey said that at one point "U-turn" licenses were widely used to process trade transactions. However, over the last two years there have been fewer "U-turn" transactions reflecting less willingness on the part of U.S. banks to handle them given the United States' ongoing financial crackdown on Iran, Levey told reporters at a briefing on the matter.
Still, Iran has used the "U-turn" transactions "as a hook to solicit foreign banks to process transactions through the United States on its behalf, sometimes with requests to substitute another bank or code word for the Iranian institution," Levey said.
The action doesn't affect otherwise permissible payments such as for shipments of food and medicine, family remittances and the export of informational materials to Iran, Levey said.
Thursday's step marks the latest effort to tighten the financial noose on Iran, which the United States accuses of bankrolling terrorism and seeking a nuclear bomb. The United States has already imposed sanctions on several state-run Iranian banks and businesses along with elements of its defense ministry and Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Sen. Charles Schumer has pressed the administration to impose financial sanctions on Iran's central bank. The department has warned U.S. banks that Bank Markazi, Iran's central bank, is involved in deceptive practices to hide involvement in nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities.
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The warped, irrational, religious mindset of the current Iranian regime, is as dangerous as anything has EVER been to our entire civilization.
Given the nuclear threat that Iran poses, along with its stalling for further nuclear weapons capabilities, its deceit, and its evil intentions, all efforts to neutralize such threats must be made without further delay.
There has not been a greater threat to the Western free world''s existence as well as to all nations and people - as the current Iranian regime poses - since Hitler and the Nazis before and throughout World War Two!
Posted by Brookie53 at 12:54 PM : Nov 07, 2008
The most recent example of what you said is Sarah Palin not knowing whether Africa was a country or a continent!
Posted by getoffmine1 at 10:57 AM : Nov 07, 2008
I am an American and hence I firmly believe in the Constitution of my country which grants her citizens the right to practice their religion, unlike former Soviet Union, but at the same time keeps religion out of politics by seperating church from state, unlike Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Bible, Koran, Rama''in (Hindu book), Torah, etc. should be kept out of politics.
Any unjustified action can be justified by interpreting or misinterpreting religious text.
Religion and reasonings are mortal enemies!
If Hitler killed innocent people in Germany, Israel should have been founded in Germany, not in Palestine.
If God chose some people and promised them a land in the Middle East, because of the race or family they are born, and neglected rest of entire humanity because of not being born in a GOD-CHOSEN RACE or FAMILY and not promised them a single penny, this is RACIAL DISCRIMINATION which I being an American, condemn by all means.
Human beings should be treated based on their actions and should not be treated as CHOSEN or NEGLECTED based on the RACE or FAMILY they are born in.
The land of ISRAEL belongs to the JEWS. You can either recognize the TRUTH of God''''s Precious Word the Bible now or you can sit back and wait until it''''s TOO LATE and look back and wonder why you DIDN''''T LISTEN to Christians who were TRYING TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
Your stubbornness to fight off the truth will get you NOWHERE in the end! Because you CANNOT FIGHT GOD! Got it??
YOU CAN''''T PREVENT HIS WILL from being done!
Posted by SocialismSux at 07:38 AM : Nov 07, 2008
Nowhere in the bible does it say Jews are entitled to that land. It says Israelites, but the definition of Israelites are not just jews, it includes arabs as well.
After all Zipper Livni is the dingbat who claimed that attacking Lebanon in 2006 was guaranteed to weaken Hezbollah. Zipper Livni is a brainless bimbo (sort of like her hero Palin) and has absolutely NOTHING of any value to add to the discussion
Posted by cause_y at 04:18 PM : Nov 06, 2008
Agreed. Why she is so arrogant as to try and order Obama about? Who is she???
posted by trishab56
-This is EXACTLY what I''m talking about you evil hater trisha. You think it''s ok for you to demonstrate the EPITOME of Bigotry with your words but you DON''t think it''s ok that anyone should be able to stand boldly in opposition of you on a public forum.
Well THAT''s NOT how America works, got it?? In this country we have FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, and FREEDOM OF RELIGION.
So if you''re going to dish it out, prepare to take it!
Don''t expect people to just remain "silent" while you continue on your hateful tyrade of insults because you''re so miserable with your life, got it?
Again, that IS NOT the American way
Posted by trishab56 at 10:29 PM : Nov 06, 2008
Freedom of speech trisha. That''s America. FOR NOW, until you libs try to SILENCE Christians, as your "Fairness doctrine" is trying to do.
Stop your whining. The hatred is coming directly from you and I''ve seen you sphew it on here for MONTHS ON END. The fact is anyone who disagrees with you or dares to scrutinize Obama you consider a hater, and this is EVIL.
IT IS NOT the American way. We have FREE SPEECH, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, and FREEDOM OF RELIGION in this country.
I know you want to END all of these freedoms, but rest assured, as long as we have them, we will stand up and fight against those evil doers like yourself who would like to see them put to a halt.
If you can dish it out, then you need to be able to TAKE IT.
Don''t go off calling other people racist and haters if you can''t take a response in return.
You have no courage and no fortitude whatsover everytime you demonstrate this.
You think it''s ok for you to call people bigots, haters, you name it, but it''s not ok for anyone to respond in return.
You my friend are what as known as pure evil, and trust me, there will be a fight in this country for our freedoms, the glove are OFF!
It''s time to defend MY constitutional rights! Got it!
Posted by shyalia at 10:30 PM : Nov 06, 2008
Shut your whining, cry baby, un-American mouth.
By you defending a maniac like Ahmedenijad, you show the evil in your heart.
You are highly likely to be one of the most ungrateful loons that lives in our country and your traitorous support the enemies of America remarks (because you''re attacking us TRUE Americans who want to defeat radical Islam) say allot about the dark evil that lives within you.
If it weren''t for us TRUE Americans who want to see evil like Islalic jihad defeated, you wouldn''t even have a country right now.
You sickos are not in need of psychological help, you are in need of spiritual help, because only a lunatic would get upset as you have because we''ve pointed out that Ahmadenijad is a maniac lunatic dictator.
This "offends" you, which says allot about your traitorous character.
You sir are what this country DOES NOT need and you are a direct threat to America''s freedoms and liberties just like these maniac Muslim radicals are.
Gimmee a break!
Posted by jerr11 at 11:25 PM : Nov 06, 2008
Sadly this lunatic is probably telling the truth when it comes to no homosexuals in Iran because in that country the punishment for being a homosexual is EXECUTION.
He''s probably killed them all. Freaking lunatic