Iran’s President, Mohammad Khatami drew resounding applause in the OIC Summit Conference at Putrajaya in Malaysian on October 16 for his fighting speech in the defence of the Muslim Ummah and its just causes such as Palestine. He also defended Iran’s right to acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. He made it clear that Iran would continue its peaceful nuclear programme and that it had no plan to make any weapon of mass destruction.

President Khatami said that in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, some Western powers, notably the USA, needed a substitute enemy to justify their gigantic military machinery and the huge spending on it. President Khatami said that throughout the 20th Century the war-mongers had beaten the drums of war in the name of civilization, culture, peace and freedom.

Addressing the OIC Summit in Putrajaya on October 16, President Mohammad Khatami of Iran said in the wake of collapse of the Soviet Union, the western powers, notably the United States, needed a substitute enemy to justify their gigantic military machinery. He said that throughout the 20th century, the war-mongers have beaten the drums of war in the name of civilization, culture, peace and freedom. Standing up to this vicious circle of violence and responding to the demand for peace and justice of peoples all over the globe calls for the collective endeavors of all peace lovers in which the followers of Islam could play a key role, he said. ‘We should call for justice which was enjoined by the holy Quran, should be independent of the conduct of the other side,” he said citing a verse from the holy Quran which reads, “Let not hatred of a people incite you to act inequitably, that is nearer to piety.” “Justice requires opposition to terrorism which cannot be of a transitional and selective nature or based on passing exigencies.” The Iranian President touched on Palestine and said terrorism should be condemned in all its forms and manifestations. The state terrorism of Israel that carries out systematic suppression of the heroic people of Palestine and has not stopped short of committing crimes against even those Palestinians living in exile must be condemned and halted, he stressed. Referring to the recent Israeli air raid on Syria, he said that the terrorist attack by Israeli planes against Syria, which is a vivid example of crimes of the aggressive Sharon regime, must be condemned and all necessary means should be employed to prevent its recurrence. On WMD, he said that Iran, relying on the Islamic and moral principles, calls for a world, especially the Middle East, to be free from the weapons of mass destruction. He called for immediate withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and Iraq, and handing over power to their people respectively. “The Iranian government and nation will be pleased with the prosperity and progress of their neighboring Iraq run by national government through popular voting,” he said. President Khatami said Iran believes in the establishment of positive and constructive interaction with the Interim Governing Council in Iraq and contribution to the restoration of national sovereignty and the immediate withdrawal of foreign occupation forces. “We believe that the draft resolution the United States has presented to the Security Council calling for contribution of other countries to the security and reconstruction of Iraq under the American military command is a far cry from the purpose of the United Nations.” About Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, President Khatami said that the Zionist regime recognizes no limits in trampling on the international laws and goes even so far as to plan for expulsion of President Yasser Arafat. “I cannot resist expressing sorrow at the sad fact that the legitimate defense of the Palestinians against the occupying Israel power for liberating their territory has not enjoyed an effective support from the Muslim World. “The Conference should rise to the task of mobilizing the active support of the international community for the just cause of Palestine,” The Iranian President said. On Iranian nuclear programme, President Khatami said: “As a developing society, let me emphasize right here that we consider access to advanced science and technology, including nuclear science and technology for civilian application a legitimate and inalienable right for the Iranian people, of course in line with the international safeguards. “We are committed to continue our cooperation, in total faith, with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “Standing here as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I ask the OIC Summit to devise a mechanism of its own in order to become closely familiar with Iran’s nuclear activities to corroborate the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear program, help resolve the misunderstandings and assist developing nations in their legitimate quest for access to advanced knowledge and technology.

In his address, the Iranian President called for promoting a Dialogue of Civilizations to help form a Coalition for Peace’. “We, Muslims should construct the example of Madinat an-Nabi that could be viewed as a determining standard in regulating both worldly affairs and thereafter. “It can be a model system which would ensure democracy along with justice, freedom, morality, progress, dignity and rights of human beings,” Khatami said.

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