Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visits Turkey in a very sensitive time. Israel harshly criticized Turkey for this first visit after 12 years claiming that Turkey provided an opportunity to Iran in order to legitimate its unacceptable ‘goals’. However, thanks to the meetings with Ahmadinejad, Turkey and Iran discussed many vital issues from energy lines to the regional security problems. On Friday, we as the representatives of Turkish think tanks and some of the leading columnists found opportunity to have breakfast with Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Besides me columnists Mustafa Karaalioğlu, Sami Kohen, Yasemin Çongar, İbrahim Karagül, Akif Emre, Nuray Mert, Ayşe Böhürler and retired Ambassador Faruk Loğoğlu participated to the ‘breakfast meeting’. We asked and Ahmadinejad explained his country’s position in many issues. The President underlined the importance of Iranian-Turkish co-operation in the region arguing that if both states can co-operate more, all problems in the Muslim world could be solved. He gave abundant smiles during the breakfast. As I understand he was happy to be in İstanbul in this sensitive time. I also understand that he was happy with the recent developments in the Caucasus as the United States could not intervene the Russian military operation in Georgia. “The United States cannot protect her ally (Georgia), how can she attack Iran? With which power?” he asked with a smile on his face.
“Turkey and Iran Should Be Closer”
Ahmedinajad said “Turkey and Iran have different kind of skills and capabilities and they should benefit from this diversity”. Interestingly he completely endorsed Turkey’s relations with the European Union (EU).
“Iran has a long term perspective regarding Turkey’s EU membership and we have positive perceptions on this issue. The relation between the EU and Turkey just looks like a bridge between cultures and civilizations. However, it is hard to understand the EU’s stance while imposing conditions in an unacceptable manner, since Turkish membership would be in favor of this block more than Turkey. It should be the EU that wait for Turkey’s bid for membership. The EU should invite, beseech Turkey to enter the Union. Turkey is a great country which has so much to tell to the world” he added.
According to Ahmadinejad Turkey would not perish with the EU membership because Turkey and Turkish people are too great to be assimilated by any country or club.
Turkey has almost all Muslim countries’ support for her EU bid. With the Iranian full support Turkey openly proves that it is true representative of a civilization and its EU membership will strengthen the EU in the East and Muslim world.
“US Collapses”
As expected we asked whether the US will attack Iran or not, yet the Iranian leader answered the question with a vivid self-confidence: “Don’t worry, the US cannot attack us. It is not possible for the United States to attack Iran, while she even failed to protect her ally: Georgia. The US could not even protect its own ally. US clout in world politics is decreasing. Moreover, she is facing with a major economic depression. We will see that the US empire will crack and eventually collapse. There is nothing that the US can do against Iran". President Ahmadinejad sincerely believes in that the US is in a great economic chaos and losing her power in world politics.
Ahmadinejad has also some recommendations for the presidential candidates in the US: “Focus on the domestic issues and try to solve your problems with Iran”. He thinks that the US cannot solve her domestic problems if she cannot solve the problems with Iran.
During the breakfast we clearly realized his firm stance and reiteration concerning his country’s nuclear program. He continued:
“We will continue to stay at the same position” he said. “Our goals will always be the same. Because our goals are rotted in our people. The Iranian policies have historical deepness. One who should shift its policies is the US, not Iran. As a matter of fact that the US is not afraid of a possible bomb. They have already have many. They also have no problem with the bombs in Israel, they do not criticized Israelis for their nuclear weapons but Iran. In fact the nuclear issue is a political problem. The Americans aim to return to the old issues by abusing the nuclear issue. Everybody knows that our aim is not to reach a bomb. They do not want to see us, Turkey and other Muslim countries to be developed”.
Zionism
When he was asked about the Middle East problems, Ahmadinejad only delivered salvo of harsh remarks against Zionists. Zionists were the only real responsible for the problems. The essence of the regional problems were Zionist regime according to President Ahmadinejad:
“All states in the region have problems with the Zionists. Jordan, Egypt, Saudis, etc, why? Where did this regime come from? Why did this regime come to the region? The reason is that the West needed a base in the region for its attacks. That’s why the raison d’état of this Zionist regime is to attack the others, cause tension and occupy the other countries. If the Zionists cannot create tension or attack the others, their regime cannot survive. The essence of the regional problems is the existence of the Zionist regime. I agree, we should save as much as the occupied territories, however the real problem is the Zionist regime. They want the whole area from Nile to Euphrates. They want to capture Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Sudan etc. However they cannot fulfill their duties, therefore they are withering away.”
“We Are Not Anti-Semitic”
Ahmadinejad says “Iran is not anti-Semitic, but anti-Zionists”. According to him the Zionists are not Jewish, “They are not Jewish neither Christian nor Muslim. They have no religion” he says.
President Ahmadinejad, I think, was not realist enough when he accused Zionism for everything that goes wrong. However there is little difference between Israel and Iran in understanding regional problems. Israel accuses Iranian regime for almost all terrorist and other evil activities in the region while Iranians see Israel as the only cause of the problems. Nevertheless, I have still hope for Israel-Iran relations. I understand that if both countries can change their regime, all problems in the region could be solved (!)
17 August 2008
