MEMRI: Special Dispatch | No. 2032 | August 22, 2008
Iran
Recent Iran Friday Sermons
Ayatollah Khatami: When Mahdi Comes, "Islamic Revival Will Sweep Over Entire
World"; Ayatollah Rafsanjani: "Bullying Powers Using Nuclear Issue as
Excuse"

Following are excerpts from two main Tehran Friday sermons at the Tehran
University campus. In one, delivered today, Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi
Rafsanjani, who is Iranian Expediency Council chairman, former president,
and the main political rival of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, said
that the big powers are using the nuclear issue as an excuse to confront
Iran.(1)

In another, from August 15, 2008, Iranian Assembly of Experts member
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said that when the Mahdi arrives, there would be
"[real] globalization" and "Islamic revival will sweep over the entire
world." He added, "Not a single house will remain on the face of the
earth... unpenetrated by Islam."

To view the MEMRI TV clip of Khatami's sermon, which aired on Iranian
Channel 1, visit
www.memritv.org/clip/en/1837.htm .

To view the MEMRI TV page on Khatami, visit:
www.memritv.org/subject/en/380.htm .

To view the MEMRI TV page on Rafsanjani, visit
www.memritv.org/subject/en/573.htm .

Ayatollah Rafsanjani, August 22, 2008: Bullying Powers Using Nuclear Issue
to Settle Accounts With Iran

As reported by the official Iranian press, Rafsanjani said in his sermon
that "Iran is oppressed in the nuclear case; the bullying powers use the
issue as an excuse to settle their accounts with the (Islamic) Revolution
(of Iran)..."

"Nuclear energy is absolute right of Iranian people. They (the bullying
powers) too believe that Iran can master peaceful nuclear technology. The
world big powers' tough approach towards Iran, which has by reliance on its
power and technology been able to reach a position to have peaceful nuclear
industry under conditions of sanctions, is an injustice to both the country
and mankind."

He said that while checking the danger of nuclear weapons' application,
there should be efforts to let mankind use God-given nuclear resources. The
prerequisite for the resolve, he said, is cooperation among all states and
the big powers' stopping bullying, hostility, threatening and making human
beings psychologically insecure.

He added that today the world has felt the problem of energy scarcity. "The
problem has gone to the extent that today, most states have made recourse to
use of coal energy."

Elsewhere in his sermon, Ayatollah Rafsanjani touched on the war in Georgia
and said that the Georgia case features a danger of encounter of world's two
big nuclear powers, i.e. NATO and Russia. "Despite restoration of calm, it
(the case) is not yet over. Under such cases, one should act more rationally
and prudently," he added.

Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, August 15, 2008: When Mahdi Appears, "Islamic
Revival Will Sweep Over Entire World"

"Globalization will only be realized when the days of the Mahdi come. The
world of arrogance will take its dream of globalization to the grave. But in
the days of the Mahdi, [real] globalization will definitely come to pass.

[...]

"God sent His Messenger in order to spread the just religion, so that His
religion [Islam] would overcome all other religions.

[...]

"By 'overcome,' I am not referring to the superiority of the logic of Islam,
because in this sense, it is already superior.

[...]

"[I am referring to] a tangible victory.

[...]

"Not a single house will remain on the face of the earth

[...]

"unpenetrated by Islam.

[...]

"The claim that the time has passed when one religion ruled the world runs
counter to the Koran and the [Islamic] tradition. Not only has the time not
passed, but the Islamic revival that we are witnessing today is moving in
this direction, and Allah willing, this Islamic revival will sweep over the
entire world, when the Mahdi appears.

[...]

"Is it appropriate for some government officials to say that we are friends
of the people of Israel, and that the people in America are the best in mass
communications? This wording is absolutely wrong. We do not recognize the
Israeli nationality. We recognize only the Palestinian nationality.

[...]

"The Israeli people are the ones who ignite the fire of battle of their
country. All the Israeli people constitute the militia of the Israeli
government, because when a war breaks out, they all have their duty to help
their government. How can anybody say that we are friends of the people of
Israel? Not at all! Not for a single moment do we recognize the legitimacy
of the regime occupying Jerusalem, and we are not afraid of the people in
Israel.

[...]

"The person who made this statement should retract it quickly, and should
ask the great Iranian nation to forgive him for taking such an inappropriate
position - and not say that he would repeat it 1,000 times. Even if you
repeat something wrong 1,000 times, it will be wrong 1,000 times over. What
kind of statement is this? The policy of the Islamic regime is clear, and
its principles are clear. Nobody from this courageous [Iranian] nation will
allow anyone who holds an official position to make a statement that runs
counter to the principles of the foreign policy, delineated by Imam
[Khomeini] and the leader [Khamenei].

[...]

"During the 33-day war [in Lebanon], the Israelis told their people that if
they experience psychological problems because of Hizbullah's rockets, they
could visit certain doctors. People did go to see these doctors, but they
found that the doctors were much worse off psychologically. Now you want to
confront Iran? Rest assured that if you are stupid and take action [against
Iran], the response of Iran will drive you utterly insane."

Endnote:
(1) IRNA, IRIBnews (Iran), August 22, 2008
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