U.S. CHRISTIAN GROUP: WASHINGTON SHOULD RESPECT IRANIANS
PRESS TV, Iran
Feb 27 2007
Members of a Christian delegation, who have recently visited Iran,
say Iranians have a much longer history than the Americans and,
therefore, need to be respected.
A Mennonite Central Committee-led delegation, which visited Tehran
Feb. 17 to 25 following an official invitation by Iranian President
Mahmud Ahmadinejad, said they discovered firsthand last week that
building bridges between the United States and Iran is possible.
The delegation – composed of 13 leaders of the Mennonite, Quaker,
Episcopal, Catholic, and United Methodist churches and the National
Council of Churches – told Lancaster Online that their meetings
with Iranian officials were positive and constructive for both the
countries.
The members met and spoke with President Ahmadinejad about nuclear
weapons development, nuclear energy, and the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, among other topics.
"It was a good visit," delegation member Ed Martin, adding, "We had
meaningful conversation with pretty influential people. We were very
well received everywhere we went."
"There’s a need for dealing with the Iranian people and Iranian
government respectfully," Martin said. "The Iranian people are proud.
They have a very long history, much longer than ours. They have a rich
and well-developed culture, and they expect to be treated with respect,
"he added.
Martin noted that the people of both countries want the same things
for their children and for the future.
Ron Flaming, another member, said the delegation’s goal was to "build
bridges of peace and understanding" in this time of considerable
tension between the two nations.
"We are committed to working at resolving our conflicts with nonviolent
ways. We can build a path that will lead to mutual respect and peaceful
relations between our two countries," Flaming added.
Members of the delegation hope to continue the dialogue with leaders
of both countries to reduce tensions.
During the trip, delegation members met with Ahmadinejad, as well as
former president Mohammad Khatami.
Flaming said Ahmadinejad was "deeply moved" by written greetings from
a sixth-grade Sunday school class from Akron Mennonite Church.
The sixth-graders – who wrote their message on scrap paper after
learning of the peace-building trip – told Ahmadinejad, "’We pray for
peace between our countries. We pray for you. We pray for making good
choices,"’ Flaming said.
He added, "Children have a way of saying it better than adults."
Flaming said the delegation discussed with the Iranian leaders the
role faith can play in ordering society.
By the end of their discussion, Flaming said, Ahmadinejad indicated
he was ready to talk to the American government if U.S. officials
were willing to talk.
The delegation also met with Iranian religious leaders, including
evangelical Protestant leaders, Archbishop Sebu Sarkissian of the
Armenian Orthodox Church and Iran’s top Muslim clerics.
The Iranian religious leaders had trouble understanding why many
Americans distrust Iranians, Flaming said.
The religious leaders have issued many "fatwas," or decrees, against
the production, stockpiling or use by Iran of any weapons of mass
destruction, not just nuclear weapons, because the Holy Quran prohibits
their use, the delegation was told.
The fatwas and the Iranian people should be trusted, the leaders
argued, based on their past responsible behavior.
During the eight years of the Iran-Iraq War, Iran never retaliated
with chemical weapons, even though Iraq used them, the Iranian leaders
told the delegation.
Further, Flaming stated that, "We see in the news of chants of ‘Down
with America.’ That can be frightening to Americans. "But (the leaders)
were adamant that (the demonstrations) were not about the American
people, but American foreign policy."
Flaming said the delegation’s trip was a success, and members hope
to bring a contingent of Iranians to America to continue the dialogue.
"We need to build on that and convince our government to take steps
and engage the Iranians in ways with mutual respect," he concluded.