Jannati equates opposing the Islamic regime in Iran with “waging war against God.” It would be refreshing if some aggressive self-proclaimed moderate U.S. Muslim group, say, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, would explain publicly just how the Iranian mullahs are misunderstanding Islam, so as to dispel the impression that this bloody and repressive regime has anything to do with the true teachings of the Religion of Peaceâ„¢.
But that won’t happen.
“Iran’s struggle with America should continue: cleric,” from Reuters, November 13 (thanks to James):
TEHRAN (Reuters) – Iran must continue its struggle against the United States, a hardline cleric said on Friday a day after Washington renewed long-standing U.S. financial sanctions against Iran.
U.S. President Barack Obama offered a new approach toward Iran when he took office in January, but Iran remains locked in dispute with Washington and other world powers over its nuclear energy program.
The West suspects Iran’s nuclear work aims in part to allow it to acquire atomic weapons. Tehran denies the charge.
Iran has also accused Washington and other Western countries of fomenting protests that erupted after a presidential election in June which opposition candidates say was fraudulent.
“If we are to assure that the Islamic establishment, the revolution and Islam are to stay and the people are to live comfortably, the flag of the struggle against America should always stay hoisted,” Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said.
“What does it mean when the U.S. Congress comes and allocates $55 million for the weakening of the Islamic Republic? It means they are waging war against God and against the people of this country. They are constantly engaging in enmity,” he said in a Friday prayer sermon broadcast on state radio.
It was not clear what allocation Jannati was referring to, but Congress has in the past provided money for promoting democracy and civil society groups in Iran….