Iran's supreme leader accuses USA of "terrorism", rejects talks.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamene'i has said, in response to recent US threats: "We do not welcome any kind of war." Speaking to the country's most senior officials in Tehran on 18 March he added: "We believe that America's current policy will destabilize the entire world." Describing America's dropping atomic bombs on Japan and its war with Vietnam as terrorist acts, he said: "What right do you have to lead the fight against terrorism? What right do you have to define the meaning of terrorism?" The following is an excerpt from his speech broadcast by Iranian radio on the same day; subheadings inserted editorially

[Khamene'i - recording] In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate...

When a power is in control of all the resources in society and chooses the path of violence, the men of justice must stand up to him. If they were to refuse to stand up and protest against that power and end the move of that power, they would be endorsing the excesses of that power. That is, the men of justice would end up endorsing tyranny without realizing that they are doing so...

During our era, the movement of the Islamic revolution and the Islamic state has pursued the same path as Imam Husayn. The vanguards of this movement were thinking that one day they might establish the Islamic state they desire. However, they realized that it was possible for them to lose their lives in the process too. They faced both possibilities, as Imam Husayn did...

When Imam Khomeyni started his movement, human relations and necessities of the era were much more complicated than the time of Imam Husayn. Human relations are becoming more complicated daily. Communication methods have shortened the distances, but relations between the people have become more complicated and problematic. Various factors which could create an accident have become more condensed.

History of America's deeds

Today, the rulers who have replaced Yazid, son of Mu'awiyah, can influence the entire world. In other words, the modern rulers can spread violence and corruption to engulf the entire humanity. This is possible, thanks to the advance in communication methods. Unfortunately, the existing sedition has grown in the world. Advanced technology and progressive knowledge of mankind have facilitated and speeded up routine tasks performed by ordinary people, but at the same time it has become possible to promote sinister motives very rapidly.

Today, the satanic powers of the world can pursue the target of dominating the entire world, the whole of humanity and can plunder all the wealth of mankind. They can pursue the objective of crushing every obstacle that stops them from realizing their goals. Unfortunately, in some instances, we can see major outbursts which demonstrate that they [rulers such as George W. Bush] are pursuing such ominous and menacing objectives. Today we all shoulder a very heavy burden of responsibility.

After the collapse of the communist bloc, the then president of America, that is the father of the current president, announced that a new world order was taking over. On that day, he [George Bush] demonstrated the ancient arrogant objective of America. He exposed his true self. He revealed his true nature, the true nature of America's policy-making machinery.

Of course, that was not confined to those days. Dozens of years ago, one day they decided and announced that they would not allow any other power to enter Latin America. Latin America was considered as an area exclusive to the government of the United States. Then that was gradually recommended to all the world. But they did not mention it as a declared objective. Later, when they saw that there was not longer a big rival, like the Soviet Union, they openly declared it. That is, a unipolar world, the new world order, with a single power dominant over the world. America's actions in the past few decades, the plans it has pursued, have shown that. The objective of expanding its military domination followed by political and economic domination, all in line with the interests of companies that in fact determine the policies of the American government.

These are realities which, if today's mankind were aware of, it would make prompt decision. If people learn what is happening in their world, they have the power to decide, they have the power to take a stand. The nations can achieve great feats.

According to the figures they have given me, since 1945 the American government has been involved in the overthrow of 40 independent governments, that were not affiliated to America, and it has been engaged in military intervention twenty-odd times. Without exception those cases of intervention involved massacres, great atrocities. Of course, in some cases they were successful; in some cases they failed.

What comes to mind are clear examples: Japan, at the end of World War II and the use of two atom bombs, as I mentioned; Vietnam, those bloody battles, those unforgettable atrocities which eventually ended up with America's failure; Chile; Iran, itself, in the 28 Mordad [19 August 1953] coup d'etat, in which an American agent come to Tehran, sat down and laid plans and action was taken. Then they announced it themselves and also the detailed documents on the action were published and are now available to everybody; and numerous other places.

The perpetrators of all those events were large commercial companies, financial moguls of America, power-seeking political parties, influential Zionist groups, ideologically and morally defective figures at the top. It is a very thick dossier. It is a very disgraceful past. They are not small matters.

For them the destruction of human beings is not important, the destruction of wealth is not important, the destruction of justice is not important, human tragedies are not important. None of them is regarded as an obstacle in their way. Of course, for appearance sake, they have propaganda machinery and vast media resources at their disposal. They believe in having a louder voice. That is a correct view. With a louder voice they try to regulate the atmosphere in the world in order to …