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TEHRAN-Iran said on Wednesday it would welcome President Barack Obama's offer of a change in U.S. policy provided it involved a withdrawal of U.S. troops from abroad and an apology for past "crimes" against Tehran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was speaking after Obama offered to extend a hand of peace if Iran "unclenched its fist."This marked a new approach from George W. Bush, who had sought to isolate Tehran, and Western diplomats said the change in Washington could offer a "once-in-a-generation" chance for the two foes to end three decades of hostility.But the diplomats said that, while some pragmatic voices in Iran wanted better ties with the West, more hardline voices who control key levers of power could block an opening amid fears that Washington still wants to undermine the ruling system. "We welcome change but on condition that change is fundamental and on the right track," Ahmadinejad told a rally in western Iran, broadcast live on state television. "When they say policy would change, it means they would end America's military presence around the world," he said, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world.Ahmadinejad said any change that was merely a shift in tactics would "soon be revealed.""Those who say they want to make change, this is the change they should make: they should apologize to the Iranian nation and try to make up for their dark background and the crimes they have committed against the Iranian nation," Ahmadinejad said.Any decision on U.S.-Iranian dialogue will require the approval of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's highest authority. He said in October that hatred of America ran deep in Iran and warned Iraqi leaders in January that U.S. governments could not be trusted.The new U.S. administration has said Obama would break from his predecessor by pursuing direct talks with Tehran but has also warned Iran to expect more pressure if it did not meet the U.N. Security Council demand to halt its disputed nuclear work."GO TO HELL" BUSH
Washington and its Western allies accuse Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons.Tehran denies the charge and refuses to give up work it insists is its sovereign right.The Iranian president listed a range of "crimes" such as trying to block what Tehran says is a peaceful nuclear power generation program, hindering Iran's development since the 1979 revolution and other actions by several administrations for more than 60 years.Ahmadinejad had harsh words for Obama's predecessor: "Mr Bush has gone into the trash can of history with a very black and shameful file full of treachery and killings.""He left and, God willing, he will go to hell," he added...
By Zahra Hosseinian
As in the days of Noah....
