Ahmadinedjad 45min exclusive interview with ZDF german TV

Submitted by myth (Germany), Mar 19, 2012 at 20:09

www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/beitrag/video/1598064/Ahmadinedschad-Atomwaffen-unmoralisch

Ahmadinedjad speaking persian (translated into german by an interpreter), the interviewer speaking german. ZDF says the network had been waiting for two years to arrange an interview. Suddenly it was granted.

Ahmadinejad denies the west to claim the moral high ground. He stays clear of religious argumentation. He constructs arguments around three fundamental standpoints:

1) he sees an inconsistency in the treatment of different foreign countries by the west.

2) he claims equal status for Iran as compared to western countries, nuclear armed countries or UN-security council veto powers.

3) he assumes that the foreign policies of governments of western countries toward Iran contradict the opinions of the western population.

Ahmadinejad avoids the word "Israel" and would only use "Zionists". He contrasts thousands of years of persian history with the short existence of Israel which he calls "artificial". Comparing Iran and Europe Ahmadinejad compliments Europe on their moderate policy toward Iran compared to the US.

With respect to the upcoming military confrontation and the nuclear programme he is ambiguous. He wants to reserve the right to have nuclear arms but denies any intention to use them or even to build them now.

The way I understand Ahmadinejad his goal is power, not confrontation. He desires a position for Iran comparable to France in Europe. In the future he sees Iran in a similar position in the middle-east. My understanding is, he wants to provoke Israel into an attack with his nuclear programme. His goal may be to discredit Israel in european popular opinion and ultimately divide europe and the us over that matter.

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