Oxfam responds to the critical situation in locust-affected West Africa
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Iran promises "burning hell" for any aggressor
10 Feb 2005 12:19:38 GMT
Source: Reuters
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By Amir Paivar TEHRAN, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Iran, facing mounting U.S. pressure over its nuclear programme, promised on Thursday a "burning hell" for any aggressor as tens of thousands marched to mark the 26th anniversary of its Islamic revolution. "The Iranian nation does not seek war, does not seek violence and dispute. But the world must know that this nation will not tolerate any invasion," President Mohammad Khatami said in a fiery speech to the crowd in central Tehran. "The whole Iranian nation is united against any threat or attack. If the invaders reach Iran, the country will turn into a burning hell for them," he added, as the crowd, braving heavy snow blizzards, chanted "Death to America!". Senior officials had called for a big turnout at the revolution anniversary parades to send a message to Washington which has toughened its stance on Iran in recent weeks. U.S. President George W. Bush said on Wednesday a nuclear-armed Iran would be "a very destabilising force" and urged the West to work together to stop this happening. "The Iranians just need to know that the free world is working together to send a very clear message: Don't develop a nuclear weapon," Bush said. Unlike North Korea, which on Thursday openly declared it has made nuclear arms, Iran denies U.S. accusations it is building bombs under cover of a civilian nuclear energy programme. But Iran, too, has hardened its language in recent days, refusing to contemplate scrapping sensitive activities like uranium enrichment -- which can be used to make bomb-grade material -- and vowing to accelerate work on its programme if the United States or Israel attacked its atomic plants. HEADING FOR SECURITY COUNCIL? Diplomats said that while the chances of a U.S. or Israeli attack were slim, Iran appeared to be on a collision course with the U.N. Security Council, which could impose sanctions. "It's hard to see how they can avoid going to the Council, unless they substantially change their position," said a Western diplomat in Tehran. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday Tehran must accept a deal being offered by the European Union -- to scrap potentially weapons-related work like enrichment in return for trade deals and other incentives -- or be referred to the Security Council. But Iran's top nuclear negotiator Hassan Rohani told Reuters in an interview this week there was nothing the West could offer Iran that would tempt it to give up its atomic fuel cycle. Those at Thursday's annual demonstration, which tends to draw the hardcore supporters of Iran's clerical establishment, said Iran would not back down in the face of U.S. threats. "The U.S. is after an excuse, if we stop atomic technology, they will find another excuse," said Habibollah Hosseini, a 68-year-old cleric carrying a walking stick in one hand and an umbrella in the other. "They invaded Iraq although there were no weapons (of mass destruction). The best response to intimidation is unity and power. We are here to show this," he said. Several carried effigies of Bush, one of which, carrying a banner which read "I Love war" was burned. "America must fear the nation that does not fear death," said Mojtaba Hamedani, 45, a veteran of Iran's 1980-1988 war against Saddam Hussein's Iraq. "If there is a war, I will be the first one to go to the fronts and if I'm killed I will join my comrades who died fighting Saddam," he said.
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