WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama issued an unprecedented videotaped appeal to Iran on Friday offering a "new beginning" of diplomatic engagement to turn the page on decades of U.S. policy towards America's longtime foe.
"My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us, and to pursuing constructive ties," Obama said in a message released to select Middle East broadcast outlets timed for an Iranian holiday celebration.
Read on.
Following is the full text of Obama's videotaped message to the people and leaders of Iran as they celebrate their New Year's holiday, Nowruz. Click here.
Late update: Obama addresses the Iranian people, in this frame grab of videotaped speech released by the White House just after midnight, early March 20, 2009.
White House website:
President Obama released a special video message for all those celebrating Nowruz. Translated "New Day," Nowruz marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of the New Year for millions in Iran and other communities around the world. This year, the President wanted to send a special message to the people and government of Iran on Nowruz, acknowledging the strain in our relations over the last few decades. "But at this holiday we are reminded of the common humanity that binds us together," he says.
After committing his administration to a future of honest and respectful diplomacy, he continues on to address Iran's leaders directly: "You, too, have a choice. The United States wants the Islamic Republic of Iran to take its rightful place in the community of nations. You have that right -- but it comes with real responsibilities, and that place cannot be reached through terror or arms, but rather through peaceful actions that demonstrate the true greatness of the Iranian people and civilization. And the measure of that greatness is not the capacity to destroy, it is your demonstrated ability to build and create."
Read the transcript in English or Persian.
3 comments:
Barack took the first step and I hope the Supreme Leader reaches out too. This is History Making and I pray it works. Someone had to reach out as for 8 years the US had a Dictator who was truly the Axis of Evil.
Jackie would you be talking about our Supreme leader (Cheney) was the true Axis of Evil? lol, but so true!
You are to funny TGCN but Dick is in charge of the assassination squad he set up during the pass eight years. Now check this out. A scienceist who worked in the UK was about to testify that Blair had cherry picked Weapons in and sexed up the information to illegal invade Iraq. Well the man was found dead a day before he was about to testify. The investigation was quick and ended saying he killed himself. Now one can question was this done by one of Cheney's squad? Notice how Israel quickly made a tape to Iran also. Now I read some of the comments on Al Jezzera and they were positive but still thinking. I wouldn't trust the US so fast after 8 years of Bush/Cheney. Now as for Israel well after the Palestine Holocaust I would disregard them. As Israel Foreign Minister Livni said she wants every Palestine citizen to die so the land would be taken over by Israel and then she said she wanted the US/Israel to bomb Iran and Syria.
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