'Iran will honor any two-state decision'

[bemildred]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in an interview broadcast Sunday that the Islamic republic would honor any decision made by the Palestinians with regards to a two-state solution in a future peace deal with Israel.

"Whatever decision they take, we will support that. We think that this is the right of the Palestinian people," he told ABC's This Week in a rare face-to-face interview with an American news network.

He also called on other nations, specifically the US and European governments, to respect the Palestinians' right to determine their fate.

Ahmadinejad went on to say that while the Islamic republic believes "in talking, in negotiating, based on sincerity, respect and justice," the country would not hold talks with the Obama administration unless "a clear-cut framework" and "clear agenda" were agreed upon beforehand.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710791644&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[bemildred]

1. Ahmadinejad Accepts Israel?

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/ahmadinejad-accepts-israel.html

[Douglas Carpenter]

3. an insightful comment from Mr. Sullivan

Asked if he would support an agreement between the Palestinians and Tehran's arch enemy, he said: "Whatever decision they take is fine with us. We are not going to determine anything. Whatever decision they take, we will support that. We think that is the right of the Palestinian people, however we fully expect other states to do so as well."

Cynicism? Telling Stephanopoulos what he wants to hear? Or feeling pressure from the electorate and from Obama? We'll see. But if every state, including Iran, backs a two-state solution, and Netanyahu refuses, then Israel's isolation will intensify.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/ahmadinejad-accepts-israel.html

actually this is pretty much the same position held by former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.

[bemildred]

6. It's a sound point, about isolation increasing as it becomes clear who the refusniks are.

One hesitates to attribute that level of political sophistication to Ahmadinejad though. I think he's trying to get re-elected. That says some good things about the Iranian public, that waving the bloody shirt is not a winner for him.

[excess_3]

4. translation, , Iran won't punish Palis' for such an act n/t

[Fozzledick]

11. Analysis - Iran is confident Hamas will block any agreement

[IndianaGreen]

2. Sure he does!

What does Ahmadinejad have in common with North Korea's Kim Jong Il?

They are both short, ugly, and crazy!

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. Do you honestly think that?

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. I see Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the Middle Eastern version of George W. Bush

verbose, arrogant, ignorant - a conservative/right-wing populist - someone no doubt wildly popular with the Iranian equivalent version of the Fox News crowd. Ever notice that they both have almost exactly the same kind of annoying smirk on their face when they think they are being clever?

But, is Ahmadinejad a Kim Jong Il type crazy? No, I really don't thinks so - anymore than George W. Bush was Adolph Hitler type evil.

Ahmadinejad is bad enough - just as George W. Bush was bad enough. They both are utter simpletons driven by crass, vulgar - populist reactionary conservative nationalism and religiosity. They both damaged their own countries international standing, harmed their own countries national interest and made their own people less safe - all the while believing with all their myopic and ignorant minds that they are being totally patriotic and defending their country against the forces of absolute evil.

They're both a profoundly destabilizing influences on the Middle East and plenty bad enough for the whole world.

[Tripmann]

8. A very good analysis,

Time magazine did an article in a similar vein. The similarity between the presidencys of bush and Ahmadinejad is staggeringly ironic.

[oberliner]

9. "Middle East version" means what exactly?

I think that their positions and governments are different enough to render that comparison problematic to say the least.

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. they are hardly exactly the same in every respect nor are the two systems of government

but many of the same social dynamics occur even in two vastly different cultures and societies.

The struggle between a myopic worldview rooted in completely provincial ignorance about the greater world versus a broader and more enlightened world view certainly occurs around the world and in completely different societies and cultures.

I have actually mentioned this comparison any number of times to many Middle Eastern people, both Arab as well as expatriate-Iranians including Christian, Sunnis and Shiites. It usually gets a smile and chuckle along with an agreement at least in the sense that they see the point in an ironic kind of way.