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International Response I: Iran, Iraq and North Korea Deny U.S. Claims Iran, Iraq and North Korea — labeled the “Axis of Evil,” by U.S. President George W. Bush in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night — yesterday denied Bush’s allegations that they are developing weapons of mass destruction (see GSN, Jan. 30). Iran “[Bush] speaks like a man thirsty for human blood,” said Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a speech broadcast on state radio. Radio commentators further reported that Khamenei said “Iran is proud to be at the receiving end of the anger of the most-hated satanic power of the world” (Reuters, Jan. 31). Bush’s comments were only a pretext for the United States to continue its support of Israel against the Palestinians, said Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi. “Bush is intending to divert public opinion from the Middle East issues by raising up a new subject and thereby pave the ground for the U.S. to continue support for Israel in suppressing the Palestinian nation,” Kharrazi said (John Ward Anderson, Washington Post, Jan. 31). Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations issued a statement that the U.S. charges were inconsistent with the fact that Iran is a signatory to most nonproliferation treaties for weapons of mass destruction (see GSN, Jan. 16). The International Atomic Energy Agency regularly inspects Iran’s nuclear facilities and has found no violations, the statement said. “The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that irresponsible comments on internal policies as well as difference of opinion on international issues by states should not serve as legitimate causes for leveling unfounded charges on any state as they will only serve to incite a new round of tensions that will not be to the interest of any party,” the statement said (Islamic Republic News Agency, Jan. 31). Iraq “The statement by President Bush is stupid,” said Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan. “It is an improper statement by the president of a major state to pass a judgment on the acts and behavior of a state through a guess.” Bush’s comments about Iraq are “baseless,” according to Salim al-Qubaisi, head of the foreign relations committee in the Iraqi parliament. “Iraq has said clearly that it no longer possesses any weapons of mass destruction and no longer has the ability to develop them,” he said, adding that Bush’s accusations could foreshadow military action against Iraq (see GSN, Jan. 7). North Korea Bush’s allegations were “sophism intended to justify [the U.S.] military presence in South Korea and persistently pursue the policy of aggression” against North Korea, said the Korean Central News Agency, the state news service (Washington Post, Jan. 31). “The remarks were merely U.S. shenanigans aimed at continuing with its policy of aggression against us,” KCNA said (Zeno Park, Agence France-Presse, Jan. 31).
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