Here's the latest on Iran:
Defiance to U.S. Marks Iran Revolution Anniversary
Mon Feb 11,11:16 AM ET
By Parisa Hafezi
TEHRAN (Reuters) - In bigger numbers than usual, tens of thousands of Iranians turned out to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution on Monday in a show of defiance to U.S. charges that Iran is part of an "axis of evil."
Photos
Reuters Photo
Audio/Video
Iranians Rally Against United States (AP)
President Bush (news - web sites)'s accusation two weeks ago has stirred traditional anti-U.S. sentiments in the Islamic republic and isolated reform-minded Iranians seeking rapprochement with the United States.
President Bush also included Iraq and North Korea (news - web sites) in his accusations which were linked to September 11's attacks on the United States.
"Death to America," shouted demonstrators, repeating the ritual chant of the revolution which toppled the U.S.-backed Shah in 1979 and swept the Shi'ite Muslim clergy to power.
In the capital Tehran, protesters held aloft an effigy of Bush with a sign round its neck reading "I made a mistake in threatening Iran" and set fire to an Uncle Sam puppet, drawing cheers from the crowd.
Groups of Islamic militants appeared, wrapped in white shrouds, symbolizing their willingness to become a "martyr" in a fight against Iran's arch-enemy, the United States.
Speculation is rife in Iran that the United States may soon strike Iranian targets leading to higher attendance than in previous years at the annual rally.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had called for huge rallies to serve as a "slap in the face of Iran's enemies." Major rallies were also held in other cities.
Even moderate President Mohammad Khatami (news - web sites), who has made tentative efforts to reach out to Washington, sounded defiant in a speech to the crowd in Tehran's Azadi (Freedom) square.
"The reason we are under threat is that the United States, or some of its leaders, think they are masters of the world and they want the world to obey their policies," he said.
U.S. officials have accused Iran of developing weapons of mass destruction, giving refuge to al Qaeda fighters fleeing neighboring Afghanistan (news - web sites) and trying to destabilize the fragile peace there -- all charges Iran denies.
But Iranian hard-liners openly admit to backing the militant Palestinian Islamic groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have carried out a wave of deadly suicide bombings against Israel.
Khatami defended Iran's opposition to Israel.
"It is not acceptable for you to observe a nation become displaced. You are against Israel's state terrorism, you are supporters of the rights of the Palestinian nation," he said.
MORE DEMOCRATIC IRAN
While Khatami's promises to create a more democratic Iran have won praise in Europe, the United States has shown less interest in Iran's political subtleties and continued to apply pressure to force Tehran to change its policies.
The Islamic Republic is subject to harsh U.S. economic sanctions which hurt its all-important oil industry and hamper foreign investment in its ailing economy.
Washington broke ties with Tehran after Iranian revolutionaries seized U.S. diplomats in the wake of the revolution in 1980 and held 54 of them hostage for 444 days.
Seeking to ease tension with the West, Khatami has made discreet overtures to the United States, but his efforts have run into stiff conservative resistance.
Now his policy of rapprochement with Washington seems to have fallen by the wayside.
"We want to have good relations with all countries based on mutual respect. We want to help peace in the world," the president said.
"But they (the Americans) have imposed sanctions and tried to isolate us, and now, acting more ridiculous and immature than before, are trying to play with the fate of our people."
Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi told CNN on Monday that Bush's remarks were a "great setback" to a possible improvement in ties.
"It is a great setback. Actually it is a confrontation," Kharrazi said during a visit to Turkey. "If...countries are interested to develop relations that should be based on mutual respect. This is not respect, this is humiliation..."
Khatami said in his speech Iran rejected terrorism as well as domination by the world's last remaining superpower.
"The American nation should ask their leaders 'till when should they pay the price of their wrong policies?' and 'what was the share of the mistaken policies of American leaders in the horrible September 11 disaster?"' he said.
Iran's Defense Minister Admiral Ali Shamkhani called on Bush on Monday to apologize for his "unrealistic portrayal" of Iran |
