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Jannati: Nuclear energy symbol of Islamic sovereignty

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, March 17, IRNA
Iran-Prayers-Jannati
Secretary of the Guardians Council Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said here on Friday that regardless of what the UN Security Council would do we need to resist, since the nuclear energy is the symbol of Islamic sovereignty today.

Addressing thousands of worshipers at Tehran University, the provisional Friday Prayer leader of referred to the latest developments regarding the country's nuclear program in his second sermon, adding, "Today Islam's power is the talk of the day and we need to pursue our nuclear program seriously while keeping the people alert and well informed about it."
He said, "We need to further emphasize that the nuclear energy is our absolute right, that we have absolutely no unjust demand, and that we have no intentions, but to take peaceful advantage of the nuclear energy."
Jannati reiterated, "It is very astonishing for me since what they are insisting on should logically be condemned internationally. These (people) came here, visited any site they wished and launched their inspections quite freely, in all their inspections, too, they also conducted their spy work, and yet gained absolutely nothing against us."
He said, "Even now we are telling them to step forward and be our partners, but they keep insisting on their own stands."
The Friday preacher of Tehran then narrated an anecdote about a man who has arrived in Balkh City in old times and saw a man who was sitting in a coffin and being carried on the shoulders of the people.

"The man was insisting that he was alive, but those in his mortuary procession kept quieting him and telling him that he was telling a lie, since he was actually dead! Amazed, the newcomer had asked about the truth of the matter. the reply was, `The judge says this man is dead, but he insists he is not!"
Jannati reiterated, "Now it is our tale with the United States. No matter how hard we insist that we want the nuclear energy merely for peaceful purposes Washington insists that Tehran is after acquiring the A-bomb."
The interim Friday Prayer leader of Tehran noted, "Oil wells would be dried in twenty years time and the people would then have no option but to use services provided resorting to the nuclear energy.

Minus nuclear energy we would be deprived of water, electricity, industries, etc. by then."
The worshipers then chanted the slogan, "Nuclear energy, our absolute right," and Jannati, thanking them, added, "we need to resist and to pay the expenses for this resistance, just as we have been doing from the very beginning, so that the future generations would stand tall and feel proud about their mighty fathers." Focussing on bitter events of the past Iranian year during his last Friday sermon of the year, Jannati referred to the martyrdom of media reporters and revolutionary guard commanders in air crashes, insults made against the exalted Prophet of Islam (PBUH), and the explosions at holy shrines of two Infallible Imams (PBUT).

Ayatollah Jannati opined that the Samarra explosions were politically motivated and were aimed at sowing the seeds of discord between the Shi'a and Sunni Muslims, while the insults made against the prophet were aimed at fuelling the flames of hatred between the Muslims and the Christians.

He added, "All the same, the alertness and political maturity of the world Muslims and their leaders does not permit the plotters of such moves harvest their bitter crops."
Jannati predicted that both the United States and Europe were dying empires, accelerating towards annihilation, and yet are bewildered with the extent of their material power.

He praised President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his government's simple way of living, love for serving the nation, and solidarity with the people, setting example of the president's nine provincial visits in shortest possible time.

Ayatollah Jannati also praised the people for their broad participation in the elections that led to President Ahmadinejad's victory.

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