TEHRAN, Oct. 3--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Tuesday enemies of the Islamic Revolution know that the Iranian nation will become a brilliant model for other countries and are worried about it.
Addressing a graduation ceremony for police officers, Ahmadinejad stressed that bullying powers are worried that the Iranian youth would achieve significant scientific and technological progress despite numerous restrictions imposed on them, IRNA reported.
He noted that enemies have worked hard to create hurdles in the path of Iranian progress over the past 27 years.
The president pointed out that over two-thirds of countries support the country’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear energy.
Addressing these powers, he said, “The Iranian nation is not isolated. It is you who are isolated and have no place even among your own people.“
“The Iranian people stand united and strong, and no one can scatter them through false propaganda,“ he said.
President Ahmadinejad also said that those who intend to undermine the achievements of the father of Islamic Republic, the late Imam Khomeini, and the Iranian nation through politicking are doomed to fail.
He expressed regret that some individuals inside the country are trying to help these enemies by reviving issues that are no longer relevant these days.
“The Iranian nation is wise, vigilant and determined,“ he said. “Anyone trying to move against the forces of the people and the sovereign government will fail.“
Ahmadinejad stressed that the Iranian armed forces are fully ready to defend the government, nation and leader.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani (r) and his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov address a press conference following their meeting in Tehran, Oct. 3. (Fars Photo)

TEHRAN, Oct. 3--Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani on Tuesday discussed regional and international issues with the head of Russia’s National Security Council Igor Ivanov.
During three hours of closed-door negotiations, Larijani also brief Ivanov on his fourth round of talks with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, ISNA reported.
“Regarding the nuclear issue, I must say that our stances are close to one another and we both believe that the deadlock can be overcome by holding direct talks,“ Larijani said.
Ivanov, for his part, said he exchanged views with Larijani regarding Iran’s nuclear dossier.
“We welcome negotiations between Larijani and Solona, because such talks provide an opportunity to examine all issues surrounding the nuclear deadlock and help pave the way for all-out negotiations in future,“ he said.
Ivanov stressed that Russia believes all issues pertaining to Iran’s nuclear program can be resolved at the negotiating table.
“We shall do everything possible on our behalf to keep negotiations going,“ he said.
In an interview with the German weekly ’Focus’, Larijani said Iran is not worried about its security and does not need any US security guarantees.
Responding to claims that Iran’s main intention in pursuing talks with the EU is to prepare the ground for direct talks with the US, Larijani said, “The proposal for direct talks with the United States has given rise to a burst of enthusiastic feeling and happiness among the Iranians.“
Larijani noted that continuing talks with the Europeans is a priority.
Late Monday, Larijani discussed Iran’s nuclear issue with Solana in a telephone conversation and the two agreed to continue their contacts in the coming days.

GENEVA, Oct. 3--Israel should be held to account for possible war crimes during its offensive in Lebanon, the United Nations’ food rights expert said in a report obtained on Tuesday.
Jean Ziegler, who reports to the UN Human Rights Council, called for an international probe to determine whether Israel was responsible for “grave breaches“ of the Geneva Conventions and “possibly, war crimes“ under the rules of the International Criminal Court, AFP reported.
The controversial Swiss sociologist, who has regularly crossed swords with Israel in the past, visited Lebanon from September 11-16.
He is due on Wednesday to present his findings to the 47-nation Council, which is currently in session.
In his report, Ziegler said that during its July 12 to August 14 offensive Israel appeared to have forgotten that the Geneva Conventions which govern conflicts bar warring parties from attacking food and water supplies.
“According to international jurisprudence, the government of Israel should be held responsible under international law for any violation of the right to food of the Lebanese civilian population,“ he said.
He said that victims of such breaches should receive compensation for the losses suffered during the conflict as well as the postwar impact of the disruption of livelihoods.
During its campaign to dislodge and destroy Hezbollah, the Israeli military destroyed roads and barred aid convoys, hampering efforts to supply the population of southern Lebanon, which bore the brunt of the offensive, Ziegler said.
“The immediate destruction of the war is set to have a longer-term effect because of the unexploded cluster bombs that litter farmland,“ he said.
In addition, the Lebanese fishing industry has been hit by an oil spill sparked by Israel’s bombardment of fuel depots. Israel should pay the Lebanese government for the clean up and compensate fishermen for their economic losses, said Ziegler.
The official also called on the Lebanese government and aid organizations to ensure that the postwar effort to rebuild the country includes programs to help farmers, agricultural laborers and fishermen.

Culture Minister Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Harandi (r) presents the new managing director-designate of Iran Cultural and Press Institute, Kaveh Eshtehardi, with his appointment decree during a ceremony in Tehran, Oct. 3. (Fars Photo)

TEHRAN, Oct. 3--Culture Minister Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Harandi said on Tuesday men of letters, including the staffers of the Persian daily ’Iran’, do not want the influential daily to leave the scene.
Addressing the induction ceremony for the new managing director-designate of Iran Cultural and Press Institute, Kaveh Eshtehardi, the culture minister said, “The fact that the daily has not been published for some four months has inflicted losses on the government.“
Saffar-Harandi stressed that journalists should think twice before writing and consider its direct and indirect consequences.
“The closure of the daily should teach a lesson to all members of the press corps so that they pursue their journalistic activities in a better manner and without political considerations.
At times, politicians use different sections of the print media for advancing their factional objectives. It is very sad that our publications have become mouthpieces for political parties,“ he said.
The minister further said that it is not morally correct that intellectuals and men of letters, who shape the society’s cultural orientation, be at the disposal of some narrow-minded political parties.
“Political parties can engage in journalistic activities only within the framework of the rule of law,“ he said.
He recalled that what happened to ’Iran’ was the result of negligence.
“Let’s hope that when it reopens, the daily, which functions under the auspices of the government and is duty-bound to reflect the people’s viewpoints, will be a suitable publication for the Islamic state,“ he said.
Saffar-Harandi called on Eshtehardi to revise all the objectives, activities and plans of the daily and specify how he intends to upgrade the status of the daily.
Eshtehardi, for his part, said the institute’s publications will use effective ideas and thoughts, which constitute the very founding philosophy of the institute, to serve as an efficient link between the rulers and the ruled.

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 3--More than 30 people were killed in violence around Iraq on Tuesday, including a state TV employee, a judge and three people in a morning suicide attack on a fish market in Baghdad that wounded 19 others.
The bomber detonated a belt rigged with explosives in the outdoor market in the primarily Sunni area of Sadiyah, southwestern Baghdad, at 7:10 a.m. (0410 GMT), police Lt. Maitham Abdul Razzaq said, AP reported.
In the northern city of Mosul, Jassim Hammad Ibrahim, who was working as a driver for state-run Iraqia TV, was killed in a drive-by shooting, Police Maj. Ahmed Khalid said.
Mosul’s Iraqia TV station manager Ghazi Faisal confirmed Ibrahim’s death, adding that he had been going shopping when killed by the unknown assailants.
Iraq’s Parliament on Tuesday welcomed an agreement designed to staunch sectarian bloodshed in Baghdad, but there was no sign of further talks to add substance to the prime minister’s sketchy four-point plan.
“I salute you brothers,“ Adnan Al-Dulaimi, a leader from the minority Sunni Arab community, said of what some have dubbed the “Ramadan Agreement“ to form neighborhood committees in the capital to curb violence during the Muslim holy month.
“We want to turn this pact from words into reality.“
But talk of a follow-up meeting after Monday night’s talks with Shiite Muslim Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki evaporated during the day, and several negotiators said no further detail would be put on the plan before Wednesday at the earliest.
Any hope of success rests on securing the goodwill of leaders who actually control party and sectarian militias blamed for hundreds of death squad killings a week in the capital. But many gunmen behind mass kidnappings, assassinations and torture appear to be beyond the control of mainstream leaders.

GAZA CITY, Occupied Palestine, Oct. 3--Gunmen linked to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement threatened Tuesday to assassinate leaders of the rival Hamas group--signaling a further escalation after 10 Palestinians were killed in three days of Hamas-Fatah fighting.
The violence was the worst since Hamas took office in March and heightened fears of a full-scale civil war. The fighting came after efforts to bring Fatah into the government broke down last week, AP reported.
Abbas, who had hoped a broader and more moderate coalition would end an international aid boycott of the Hamas government, is running out of options to end the crisis.
Abbas had considered calling early elections, but a new poll Tuesday indicated Fatah would tie with Hamas if a vote was held now.
The poll also indicated that voters consider Abbas less trustworthy than Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, were to hold separate talks with Abbas on Wednesday.
Meeting on Tuesday in Cairo with eight Arab allies, Rice was expected to ask them to shore up Abbas, at the expense of Hamas.
Haniyeh called on Arab states not to cooperate with Rice’s efforts.
“It looks like Mrs. Rice is adopting the old practice of divide and conquer,“ Haniyeh told reporters in Gaza. “She wants to weaken the states and the nations of the region.“
“We call on all of the Arab countries not to follow the American plans and not to adopt this policy that aims to divide the region,“ Haniyeh said.
The threat to kill Hamas leaders was made in a statement by the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a violent Fatah offshoot.
The latest round of fighting began Sunday, when Hamas militiamen used force to put down protests by civil servants and members of the security forces who demanded payment of salaries.
The confrontations triggered armed clashes between the 3,500-strong Hamas militia and the Fatah-dominated security forces over the weekend. In all, 10 people were killed and more than 100 wounded.
Haniyeh said Tuesday that the current tensions were not an appropriate environment for efforts to establish a national unity government with Fatah, but also called for calm.
“We don’t want internal fighting. We don’t want to have civil war,“ Haniyeh said. “We need to have a healthy environment to resume the (unity) talks.“