Fars News Agency , Iran
Sept 5 2008
IRANIAN PROVINCIAL CLERIC CRITICAL OF AZERBAIJAN’S FOREIGN POLICY
Ardabil, 5 September: The representative of the supreme leader in the
province and Friday prayer imam of Ardabil has said that the events in
Georgia and the separatist demands of several regions of this country
should teach a lesson to supporters of Israel so that they stop
clinging to this terrible regime.
In his Friday prayer sermons in Ardabil, Seyyed Hasan Ameli said that
this event showed that the Azerbaijani Republic is also mistaken to
support Israel hoping to liberate Karabakh and that in the world of
politics it is impossible to trust America and Israel’s tricks.
Pointing out that 40,000 Shi’is were killed and several thousand were
wounded and taken prisoner during the war between the Azerbaijani
Republic and Armenia, he said that the leaders of the Azerbaijani
Republic made a historical mistake by raising the banner of the
Zionist regime in their Muslim country and officially recognizing this
regime in order to defend their land and retake Karabakh, whereas the
Jews cannot produce anything but hostility and hate, and God has
repeatedly condemned them in the Koran.
The Friday prayer imam noted economic agreements between the two
countries and said that with softness which is not acceptable in the
world of politics, the Azerbaijani Republic is trying to benefit from
the military might of the Zionist regime in the Karabakh conflict,
while this regime is pursuing only its own interests in Central Asia,
and the latest events in Georgia totally prove this theory.
Pointing out Sarkozy’s latest threats against Iran, Ameli said that
French President Sarkozy who calls himself a spokesman for the Zionist
regime made an illogical statement threatening Iran with the military
might of Israel, and he does not know that it is necessary to threaten
Israel with the military might of Iran because Iran is playing a
fundamental role in global and regional issues.
Saying that the time of threats in the world has come to an end, he
added that Russia’s resistance to the West, especially America and
Israel, unveiled the truth that their might is hollow, and following
the demonstration of force by Russia, we should not worry about the
adoption of a resolution against our country in the United Nations.
[Passage omitted: Ameli speaks about religious issues]