An excellent speech by Ahmadinejad

We have the prepared text of the speech. The first thing that strikes me is that it is very religious, also very idealistic. It serves to remind its audience that Iran has a fundamentalist religious government. Possibly the most religiously influenced government in the world today. Westerners who are familiar with Christian fundamentalists should have no trouble understanding the Iranian view of the world. It is more religious than uniquely Muslim.

Regrettably, due to distancing of some States from the teachings of the Divine Prophets, the shadow of the threat of nuclear bombs is cast over the whole world, and no one feels secured. Some States define in their strategies the nuclear bomb as an element of stability and security, and this is one of their big mistakes.

The production and possession of a nuclear bomb, under whatever pretext be done, is a very dangerous act which first and foremost makes the country of production and stockpiling exposed. You may recall that how perilous was the unintentional transfer of a nuclear-tipped missile with a bomber from a military base to another one in the United States and which became a matter of concern for the American people. Secondly, the sole function of the nuclear weapons is to annihilate all living beings and destroy the environment, and its radiations would affect the coming generations and its negative impacts would continue for centuries.

The nuclear bomb is a fire against humanity rather than a weapon for defense.

The possession of nuclear bombs is not a source of pride; it is rather disgusting and shameful. And even more shameful is the threat to use or to use such weapons, which is not even comparable to any crime committed throughout the history.

Ahmadinejad also makes the interesting contention that the use of atomic weapons against civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a signal evil act in human history. It is an contention that cannot be dismissed out of hand.

Ahmadinejad's more important contention, that the UN is fundamentally flawed in its bias toward compliance with the interests of the United States and four other major victors in World War II not only cannot be dismissed out of hand, but is difficult to even dispute. The best counter-argument is probably that there is no easy way to reform the UN, especially since the US can veto reforms themselves.

Fundamental reform of the UN will eventually be an important step in improving international relations but that is difficult to even envision today. Iran is beginning to argue for that.

Dear friends,

It is now clear that the production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons and policies practiced by some nuclear weapon States, along with the weakness of and the imbalance in the NPT provisions have been the main causes of insecurity and served as an incentive for the development of such weapons.

Today, nuclear disarmament, elimination of nuclear threat and non-proliferation are regarded as the greatest service to establishing sustainable peace and security and amity.

The question is, however, whether granting extraordinary authority in the IAEA to the nuclear weapon States and entrusting them with the critical issue of nuclear disarmament is appropriate? It would be naïve and irrational to expect an effective voluntary initiative towards disarmament and non-proliferation, simply because they consider nuclear weapons an element of superiority.

As an Iranian saying reads: “A knife never cuts its own handle”

Expecting the major arms dealers to work for the establishment of security is an illogical expectation.

Ahmadinejad details several proposals for moving toward a world where disarmament is accomplished without bias, with binding commitments not only on the non-weapons states. Then ends on a note of religious idealism that I found unexpected.

Dear friends,

Through cooperation and solidarity and harmony, our aspiration for establishing a world blessed with justice and peace is achievable, and the motto of "nuclear energy for all, nuclear weapons for none" is the basis for interaction among human beings as well as between human and nature.

Let’s hope for a day on which through realization of justice, no one will be infuriated, and even if so happened, let’s hope again no weapon would be found to satisfy it.

Greeting to justice and liberty,

Greeting to love and affection,

Greeting to followers of the school of compassionate, and human who loves human,

I wish you all, success and prosperity.