Ali Khamenei, Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution: The Zionists made a miscalculation. They made a mistake. They made a big mistake. This mistake has been repeated in recent years, again and again. They made a mistake of attacking Lebanon. They made a mistake of attacking Gaza. And they made a mistake of attacking the aid ships. These mistakes, made one after another, indicate that the Zionist regime is nearing its definite end. It is taking steps toward its own overthrow.
On the Occasion of the 21st Anniversary of
the Death of Imam Khomeini, 4 June 2010
The Leader’s Message following Israel’s Criminal Attack
on the International Aid Flotilla, 1 June 2010
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran: “Sending a message of condolence to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday, Ahmadinejad expressed sympathy of the Iranian government and nation for the loss of lives of a number of Turkish nationals in Israel’s raid on the Palestine Freedom Flotilla” (Fars News Agency); “Ahmadinejad described the Israeli navy’s attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla, which was carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, as a sign that Israel has lost its common sense. The Iranian president said even the most stupid politicians in the world would not do such a thing” (President.ir); “The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said . . . that the recent attack carried out by the Israeli soldiers against the humanitarian flotilla taking aid to Gaza is a crime that shows the folly and weakness of the government in Tel Aviv. . . . Ahmadinejad had a telephone conversation this Thursday with the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, during which the two shared grief over the massacre of the Freedom Flotilla. ‘I was talking this morning . . . with the president of Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, about Gaza. We were pained by the massacre and, moreover, by the way the state of Israel accepted it. See? It’s almost as if they were applauding the massacre!’ the Venezuelan leader said on the state television VTV” (TeleSur).
Mir-Hossein Mousavi, Former Prime Minister of Iran (1981-1989) and Former Presidential Candidate: In its latest attack, once again the regime occupying Jerusalem [the state of Israel] has displayed its violent character by targeting the civilian caravan of vessels bearing humanitarian aid for the Muslim people of Gaza. This attack, which resulted in the death and injury of many, is a gross violation of international law and basic human rights. I, along with the justice-seeking Green Movement throughout the world and in one voice with all freedom seekers, condemn this international crime, declare our sympathy with the oppressed people of Palestine, and offer our condolences to the people of Turkey for the loss of some of their compatriots; we ask the international community to seriously confront the perpetrators of this inhuman act and the abusers of human dignity.
Mohammad Khatami, Former President of Iran (1997-2005): In addition to the massacre and daily repression of the long-suffering Palestinian people, the Zionist regime has for some time been striving to show the face of state terrorism through its blockade of heroic Gaza and the gradual suffocation of its oppressed people. Now, as a number of well-wishers from various nations headed towards Gaza, unarmed, attempting to bring basic aid, this regime met them with cruel and bloody murder. I am shocked that the Security Council, which sanctions and threatens sovereign states that merely wish to exercise their own rights, quietly sits on its hands when it comes to such major crimes, any moves to take formal action being obstructed by great powers’ opposition and vetoes, which emboldens the criminals. I am shocked that human rights organizations and institutions like the International Criminal Court, having witnessed the tremendous crimes of the usurper regime [the State of Israel], which are the clearest examples of crimes against humanity, have yet to act against these criminals and put them on trial. I am still more shocked by the Arab and Islamic states that have yet to shake off their long-standing illusion, to stand side by side with the Palestinian people, and to uphold their collective aspirations. As a result, the criminals continue their crimes, humiliating those who are trapped in their illusion. I am sure that, if these states act according to the desire of their own peoples and firmly stand up for the will of the Palestinian people, the aggressors and their supporters will be put in their place. The basic way forward is exactly what I proposed at the Doha summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which was well received: a referendum with the participation of all the inhabitants of Palestine, including Muslims, Christians, and Jews, and of the mass of Palestinian refugees throughout the world. This is the democratic way to establish justice as well as stability and a genuine and lasting peace.
Mehdi Karroubi, Former Speaker of Parliament (1989-1992; 2000-2004) and Former Presidential Candidate: The Zionist regime’s inhuman act of attacking the humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza caused great sorrow around the world. This behavior is caused by the Zionist regime’s inhuman and unjust nature. This regime has become so weak that it fears the smallest humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. This act will further weaken the regime and make it despised in the international community. I hereby condemn this action and ask the international community, human rights organizations, and the Security Council to take a clear stand against this inhuman regime and make concrete decisions to condemn and punish it for these actions. Finally, as well as sympathizing with the Palestinian people, I offer my condolences to Turkey for the death and injury of its human rights activists.
Translation of Karroubi’s statement by Khordaad 88. See, also, “Statement of 71 Human Rights Defenders and Political Activists in Condemnation of Israeli Crimes and in Support of the Iranian and Palestinian Peoples’ Liberation Movements,” signed by Ervand Abrahamian, et al. The above are all intelligent people, in their own cranky ways. There are some dumb Iranians, though: e.g., Dr. Arash Irandoost, “Letter to the People of Turkey” (Israel National News, 4 June 2010).
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