Pioneer News Excerpt:

"The characteristically vitriolic rant that he delivered at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday, which expectedly led Western diplomats to stage a walk-out - also, a ritual during Mr Ahmadinejad's speeches - does not really come as much of surprise to the global audience. This, however, does little to diminish the repulsive character of his speech which not only served as a bearer of hostility but was also a direct threat to global peace and security." Continued...

Iran can't accept 9/11 'official' version

Your editorial comment, "Shocking rant at UN" (September 24, 2011) has come as a great surprise. Though the Iranian President was most respectful even in his criticism of the policies of some of the arrogant powers of the world, derogatory language has been used in the editorial against the elected President of a friendly and neighboring country. The sub-title of the editorial about Christians and the Jews is based on distortion of the speech of the Iranian President. He said nothing directly or indirectly in his speech against Christians and Jews. Criticism of the wrong policies of the Governments of the US and some European countries and also the usurper Zionist regime cannot be construed to be the criticism of Christians and Jews.

It should be mentioned that while the Foreign Minister and diplomats of the Islamic Republic of Iran remained present during the speech of the US President, the diplomats of the countries which claim to be the torch-bearers of democratic values staged a walkout during the speech of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the UN General Assembly. The premise of the speech of the Iranian President was that the Westerners only claim to be the defenders of freedom, free speech and human rights and are, in fact, the most flagrant violators of the principles they preach. The walk out justified him during his speech itself.

Some of the incidents which Mr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad referred to in his speech, especially the 9/11 incident, was used by the US and its allies as well as the illegal regime of Israel to meet their strategic, economic and political interests. Therefore, accepting the official versions of the incidents and ignoring the conspiracy angle is difficult for the "sane-thinking people around the world".

Hassan Rahimi Majd

Chief of Press

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran | New Delhi