Rafsanjani Calls on U.S. to Press Israel

Excerpts from the Friday prayer sermon by Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani, translated from Farsi by Associated Press:

A country by the name of Israel, which is from the root up a usurper, officially enters a town with military forces, with a helicopter, and takes the Friday prayer leader of the town along with two of his security men.

This is not at all acceptable by any international standard, and no country can say this is right. No international law can condone this action. . . .

What happened in return?

Some innocent people, whose identity isn’t even known, a number of unknown people combating covertly, announced that a person they had (been keeping) as a spy had been killed. They hanged him in revenge. Their reason was that Israel is America’s agent, and we will take our revenge on this American person whom we have captive and who is implicated in Israel’s crime, in return for Mr. Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid. This was what they said.

Then they threatened that they would kill the rest (of the hostages) too, if you don’t free Obeid. . . .

So what should we do in this situation. . .?

Global arrogance (the United States), if it wanted to do something, it would have been clear:

It should take Israel by the collar and say free Sheik Obeid so that the issue is finished. . . .

They might say, “No, this doesn’t concern us and we are no match for Israel.” This is not acceptable to us. No one accepts this. Israel itself does not accept this, the people of America don’t accept this. If America really wants to stop Israel it must announce, it must say, “Until Sheik Obeid is freed, American aid will be stopped. . . .”

I state, I tell the White House, the problem of Lebanon has solutions, the freeing of the hostages has solutions, reasonable, prudent solutions.

These bullyings, arrogant approaches and tyranny will not solve the problems. Come let us approach the problem reasonably, we too will help solve the problems there, so the people of the region can live in peace and harmony.