Iranian president applauds Obama

Urges him to put end to Bush policy, which led to "hatred of nations and gov'ts toward US leaders."

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
ahmadinejad salutes 248.88 (photo credit: AP)
ahmadinejad salutes 248.88
(photo credit: AP)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday congratulated Barak Obama on his election win - the first time an Iranian leader has offered such wishes to a US 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. Iran and US have no formal diplomatic relations since 1979 and the hostage drama when militant Iranian students held 52 Americans captive 444 days. Current US-Iranian relations remain very tense, with Washington accusing Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons and of providing support for Shi'ite militants who are killing US soldiers in Iraq - charges which Teheran denies. Teheran sees Obama's victory as a triumph over the unpopular policies of President George W. Bush, who repeatedly clashed with Iranian leaders while in office over Iran's controversial nuclear program and Teheran's opposition to the US-led invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq in 2001 and 2003, respectively. 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 US 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 US 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 US candidates throughout the presidential race, although Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said last month that Obama seemed "more rational" than Republican John McCain. 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 US more credibility to press for tougher sanctions if talks fail.