Iran's Top Leader Warns West of Meddling

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Says There Will Be "Negative Impact" on Relations after Election Unrest

(AP)  Iran's supreme leader warned Western governments on Monday of a "negative impact" on relations over what he called their meddling in Iran's post-election riots, state television reported.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments reflect continued efforts by the regime to blame Western powers such as the U.S. and Britain - not internal anger - for unrest following the country's disputed presidential election. They also come one day after the American vice president said the U.S. is still open to negotiating with Iran over its nuclear program.

"Some leaders of Western countries at the level of president, prime minister and foreign minister openly intervened in Iran's internal affairs that had nothing to do with them. Then, they said they don't intervene in Iran's internal affairs," the television quoted Khamenei as telling thousands of Iranians during a ceremony to commemorate a revered Shiite saint.

Iran quashed street protests following its disputed June 12 election, and the leadership has been trying to erase any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by portraying the unrest as sparked by foreign meddling.

Reformist opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has said the government stole the election results and that he was the rightful winner of the vote. Khamenei has sided with Ahmadinejad.

While the regime has managed to silence the protests, the continued opposition being voiced by reformist politicians and their allies through has produced a rare challenge in a country where the supreme leader's word is supposed to be final.

Khamenei said Iran will pay attention to the remarks and behaviors of Western governments and said that it will definitely have a negative impact on future relations with Iran.

"These governments must be careful of their hostile remarks and behaviors because the Iranian nation will" react, the television quoted Khamenei as saying. "We will calculate the interventionist remarks and behaviors of these governments. Definitely, it will have a negative impact on future relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Khamenei once again emphasized his support for Ahmadinejad, calling his re-election a "lasting and pure truth."

In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy said his country stands by Britain amid tensions with Iran over the post-election unrest. In a joint news conference with the French leader, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Monday that "the Iranian regime must be clear that we will act together with our European partners."

But Brown insisted that the outcome of the Iranian election is a matter for the Iranian people.

In the post-election fallout, Iran detained more than a thousand protesters, along with hundreds of activists, journalists and bloggers. While most of the protesters have been released, dozens of prominent political activists remain in jail on vague charges of "acting against national security."

Reformist Web site Norooznews said late Sunday that Hamid Maddah Shourcheh, a member of Mousavi campaign office in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad died of torture during detention.

Shourcheh was "martyred as a result of wound inflicted during detention," Norooznews said, adding that he was arrested after holding a sit-in in a Mashhad mosque to protest the election results.

Along with the other arrests, Iranian authorities also detained nine local employees of the British Embassy, leading to vocal protests from Britain and the European Union.

Britain's Foreign Office said Monday that Iran has released another British Embassy staff member, leaving one employee still in custody.

Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, a close aide to Khamenei, said Friday that Iran would put detained local employees of the British Embassy on trial for inciting post-election protests, in a further effort to prove foreign elements were behind the unrest.

Hossein Rassam, a political analyst at the embassy, still remains in detention, according to his lawyer Abdolsamad Khorramshi. Khorramshi said Saturday that his client has been charged with "acting against national security." Britain has dismissed claims of intervention as baseless.

President Barack Obama's administration, which has made an effort to reach out to Iran since taking office, has left the door open to talks.

In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Vice President Joe Biden Sunday said the U.S. offer to negotiate with Tehran on its nuclear program still stands. Some thought the administration's approach might change in light of the Iranian government's harsh post-election crackdown.

"If the Iranians respond to the offer of engagement, we will engage," Biden said.

Biden also signaled that the U.S. would not stand in the way should Israel opt for military action to eliminate Iran's nuclear facilities, saying Washington "cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do."

Israel considers Iran its most dangerous adversary and is wary of Ahmadinejad. Israel and the U.S. accuse Iran of seeking to develop weapons under the cover of a nuclear power program, a claim Iran denies.

Iranian police have said that 20 "rioters" were killed during the violence, as well as eight members of the Basij militia tasked with putting down the protests.

Despite the crackdown, Mousavi and his backers insist the election was won by fraud - claims Iranian authorities say are aimed at destabilizing the country.

[speakinup22]

Oh, I think I've been maligned. But I'm not REALLY sure.

"you are red neck from the hill."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

rickyg221 - you really do need to work on your idioms and punctuation if you want to pass yourself off as someone that has US matters at heart. Where are you from son, China ?

As for my being a "war moger(sic)", I merely speak the truth. Ahmadinejad will be shot by someone that hates him enough. The smiling monkey is in the public enough, and Islamic extremists have this tendency to not care about life.

And, if you think I'm an "ass", you really ought to see how you come across in a language you don't understand very well.



Pssst, "rickyg", try being more mature - it's more convincing.

[rickyg221]

to speakinup22, you are red neck from the hill.you don't know jack.why are you here and not in iraq to see how it is to get shot, may be then you will find out how it is to lose a family member.don't be a war moger you ass.

[rickyg221]

if we are talking about election,talk about gore and bush election and all the **** that happened in florida when brother jeb rigged it for ignorant gw.

[lexern]

It's common knowledge that the election was rigged. The election wasn't supervised, they use paper ballots in Iran and the results were posted before it was technically possible, Ahmadinajad won in all of Mosauvi strong holds which sent record numbers to the polls which is technically impossible. For Obama to engage Iran is reprehensible and impeachable.

[lexern]

Illuminated.....please change your member name to Ignorant #1. It will fit you perfectly. If Obama engages the illegitimate government of Iran it will be an IMPEACHABLE offense. This has nothing to do with political parties or previous administrations. Get your facts right before you make your moronic comments.

[rickyg221]

all you who are so interested in Iranian affairs and are so outrage and heartbroken for what is happening in Iran which is by the way is their business and not anyone elses,why don't you feel bad for what is happening in china.156 people dead already and noone is taking about it.where is big old shot McCain and Lindsey Graham and worthless war monger Lieberman.where is CNN and fox.of course we cannot say anything to chiness since they own our country and have nukes already.leave Iran alone.their oil is theirs not us .we have interfere in that country enough for 50 yrs.how can we blame them for hating us.they don't need us and definitely don't need our false sympathy.they have figured us out.talk about our problem in this country and stop running your mouth about other countries.we are hated as it is around the worlds you morons.

[YuSoWrong]

Let's thank the Iranians for showing us how they should be treated.

[Illuminated1]

I can see China is going to explode all by itself....all you need is a pinprick.
As for Iran, yes, bringing down a democratically elected President to install a King is not only criminal, but unAmerican as well...I blame Texas...
We are engaged in Afghanistan, and not longer vital in Iraq, but thanks to GWB the terrible, and Cheney the capitalist will forever have a base to call home there...gee thanks guys...another base in a foreign land...when we could use them here at our border.....at least we're armed to the teeth.

[YuSoWrong]

Because this relates-to the Iranian police-state and its attacks on its own citizens how ... ?

[rickyg221]

all you who are so intrested in iranian affair and are so outrage and heartbroken fo what is haping in iran which is by the way is their buisness and no one else,why don't you feel bad for what is happening in china.156 people dead already and none is taking about it.where is big old mccain and lindsey grahm and wothless war monger liberman.where is cnn and fox.off course we cannot say anything to china since they own our coutry and have nukes already.leave iran alone.their oil is theirs not us .we have interfere in that country enough for 50 yrs.how can we blame them for hating us.they don't need us and definetly don't need our flase smympthy.they have fuigured us out.talk mabout our problem in this country and stop running your mouth about other countries.we are hated as it is around the worlds you morans.

[speakinup22]

Yeah - like you are from the US.... HA HA HA HA.

Your spelling is so poor that you couldn't even pass for illiterate.


And, By the way, we don't give a rat's patoot if we are hated. It only matters that we are correct. So go troll somewhere else.

[Illuminated1]

by lexern
by gripperdon
by government-control

Your comments are unamerican since these two haven't done anything to bring down the country, it was the last two bozos that did.

by curiously1

I agree with your posting entirely...kick em out, and shoot the planes down on the way.

by speakinup22

One can only wish you are correct.

[Benton09]

Irag head(s) the list in world news today as it's (Taco) Supreme leader says the West is meddling in it's affairs. The Ayatollah AbbaDabbaDoo (dressed in black snake charmer headwear) threatened to put the curse of Yami Nama Nami on all leaders of the West.
Stay tuned and ladies...hold on to you burkas.....

[presjfk]

Ohh yeah, all the Americans in Iran are causing the problems. What an ******!

[speakinup22]

I have to laugh at the Ayatollah. WHAT negative impact does he feel he can impart upon us ?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

You've already done your worst you idiot. Your threats have already been made, and the worst you can do has already been thrown at us.

Only an idiot would throw away their ideals in order to try to negotiate a peaceful settlement on your insistence to destablize the middle east.

Obama has unwittingly opened the door for your nuclear facilities to be destroyed, and you still don't even understand, do you ?

Israel is going to make your 'Supreme Leader' (I just LOVE that ridiculous title!) look like a fumming jerk within the year, and the smiling monkey that is Iran's president will most likely reap a bullet to his head from a disenchanted voter.

[curiously1]

And now, the ayatollah is attemting to silence foriegn leaders ?! Who does this thug think he is? I wish the west would show enough backbone to expell the Iranian diplomats and close their embassies.

[ToolMangler1]

That would make them think we were ready to invade. (Not a smart move)

[speakinup22]

curiously1, your point of him trying to silence foreign leaders is a valid one.

The US has thru out its history spoken up about the strife in suppressive countries. Our current leader doesn't seem to think this is good for our image. I say it is very good for our image.

It is part of the basis for statements like "truth and justice".

If you don't want to be talked about - do the correct thing.

[gripperdon]

Obama and Biden should face IMPEACHMENT charges period, for defiling the constution and turning the government into a poorhouse socialist country.

[gripperdon]

Obama and Biden should face IMPEACHMENT charges period, for defiling the constution and turning the government into a poorhouse socialist country.

[lexern]

Obama and Biden should face IMPEACHMENT charges if they engage with Irans illegitimate government. Sanctions need to be imposed and their government announced as illegitimate, this would in effect cause a regime change without losing lives. Their economy is in dire straits and would collapse with sanctions brought against it. Anouncing the government as illegit would bolden the reformist.

[ToolMangler1]

Who are you to declare the Iranian Government, illegitimate. The fact that I agree with you means nothing, We have no power to make such a ruling.
See what we get blamed for when we do nothing to interfere. Just think what would have happened had we done something.