Obama's speech: A boost to moderates in Iran's election?
TEHRAN, IRAN 鈥� President Barack Obama鈥檚 recognition that 鈥�no single speech聽can eradicate years of mistrust鈥� will apply in Iran, where leaders have called for deeds from Washington 鈥� and not just words 鈥� to ease 30 years of hostility.
As Iranians prepare to vote in June 12 presidential elections, Mr. Obama鈥檚 pledge that America was 鈥渞eady to move forward鈥� with 鈥渃ourage, rectitude, and resolve鈥� will be welcome in Tehran, despite a host of US concerns that include Iran鈥檚 nuclear program and opposition to the Israel-Palestine peace process.
鈥淚 think the leader has accepted the principle of US talks, but he does not want to get caught in a bind,鈥� says a political analyst in Tehran, referring to Iran鈥檚 supreme religious leader Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei. 鈥淲e all know it鈥檚 going to happen soon after the election.鈥�
Obama made no mention of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group that Washington considers a terrorist organization. But he said 鈥渨hen it comes to nuclear weapons, we have reached a decisive point鈥� that could 鈥渓ead this region and the world down a hugely dangerous path.鈥�
Obama said Holocaust deniers were 鈥渋gnorant and hateful鈥� 鈥� a clear criticism of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has questioned the World War II-era event and been challenged on it by his Iranian opponents.
鈥淢oderates in Iran will be ecstatic with this 鈥� it will play well with [top opposition candidate Mir Hossein] Mousavi,鈥� says the analyst. 鈥淭he regime as a whole will look favorably [on Obama鈥檚 speech]. For us, the wall of mistrust is important, and this will be a first step. I think it will resonate very much in Saturday鈥檚 newspapers.鈥�
There are no papers on Friday.
Obama鈥檚 speech came just hours after Ayatollah Khamenei made a speech on Thursday to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of the founder of Iran鈥檚 1979 Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Khamenei said the US aim of presenting a 鈥渘ew image鈥� to the Middle East was correct because these nations 鈥渉ate the United States from the bottom of their hearts because they have seen violence, military intervention, and discrimination.鈥�
Such a transformation would 鈥渘ot be achieved by talking, speeches, and slogans,鈥� he said. Khamenei restated Iran鈥檚 position that it was not seeking nuclear weapons, and said US accusations to the contrary were 鈥渓ies.鈥�
鈥淗e likes Obama!鈥� said one young professional upon hearing Khamenei talk. 鈥淒id he say anything negative about him? Or the US? It鈥檚 all about the Bush administration.鈥�
