Message of Christmas hope from Ahmadinejad
Thursday, 25 Dec 2008 22:52
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "I would like to congratulate the followers of Abrahamic faiths, especially the followers of Jesus Christ, and the people of Britain."
By Matthew Champion.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has used an unprecedented opportunity to address British viewers on Christmas Day to hope for a brighter future for east and west.
The Iranian president will deliver Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message later today in which he congratulates the people of Britain on the anniversary of the birth of Christ.
In his deeply-spiritual message of seasonal goodwill already seen by
inthenews.co.uk Mr Ahmadinejad says that even as crises and despair multiply "a wave of hope is gathering momentum".
"Hope for a brighter future and hope for the establishment of justice, hope for real peace, hope for finding virtuous and pious rulers who love the people and want to serve them – and this is what the Almighty has promised," he will say.
The president goes on to claim, in a message delivered in Farsi with English subtitles, that the problems that have bedevilled humanity throughout the ages have come about after people "followed an evil path and disregarded the message of the Prophets".
Bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers
In a thinly veiled reference to western governments he claims: "Now as human society faces a myriad of problems and a succession of complex crises, the root causes can be found in humanity's rejection of that message, in particular the indifference of some governments and powers towards the teachings of the divine Prophets, especially those of Jesus Christ.
"The crises in society, the family, morality, politics, security and the economy which have made life hard for humanity and continue to put great pressure on all nations have come about because the Prophets have been forgotten, the Almighty has been forgotten and some leaders are estranged from God.
"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would stand with the people in opposition to bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers.
"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would hoist the banner of justice and love for humanity to oppose warmongers, occupiers, terrorists and bullies the world over.
"If Christ were on earth today, undoubtedly He would fight against the tyrannical policies of prevailing global economic and political systems, as He did in His lifetime. The solution to today's problems is a return to the call of the divine Prophets. The solution to these crises is to follow the Prophets - they were sent by the Almighty for the good of humanity."
Click here to read the full transcript of the message
'Christmas message from Mugabe'
The choice of Mr Ahmadinejad to deliver Channel 4's 16th Christmas broadcast is deeply controversial.
The former mayor of Tehran has used previous speeches to dub the Holocaust a myth, while he has denied that gay people exist in Iran.
"It is astonishing that Channel 4 would give a Christmas message to a man who is actively at the moment leading a government which persecutes Christians within in Iran, even if you weren't bothered about his desire to wipe out the nation state of Israel," said Douglas Murray of the Centre for Social Cohesion.
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell likened Channel 4's decision to allowing Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe to deliver the message.
"Channel 4 is aiding and abetting a tyrant," he said. "President Ahmadinejad is a torturer and a murderer. His regime executes children, journalists, Sunni Muslims, political dissidents and ethnic minorities.
"It is an insult to more than 100,000 Iranians who have been slaughtered since the Islamic fundamentalists seized power in 1979."
Mr Tatchell went on to say: "Channel 4 executives would not being giving Ahmadinejad this propaganda coup if it was their children who were being tortured in Evin prison, Tehran.
"This Christmas in Iran, thousands of families are grief-stricken.
"Their loved ones have been jailed, tortured and executed. Instead of inviting one of them deliver the Alternative Christmas Message, Channel 4 is giving airtime to the man responsible for their loved ones' suffering."
A different take
Dorothy Byrne, head of news and current affairs at Channel 4, said the Iranian president represented a continuation of the channel's tradition of offering a different perspective on the outside world.
"As the leader of one of the most powerful states in the Middle East, President Ahmadinejad's views are enormously influential," she said.
"As we approach a critical time in international relations, we are offering our viewers an insight into an alternative world view."
Channel 4 has however opted to delay the broadcast of the message until later in the evening; previous messages being shown at the same time as the Queen's annual broadcast on BBC1 and ITV1.
A short introduction will also be shown to place the Iranian president's appearance in context.
Among those delivering the Alternative Christmas Message in the past are a veteran from the Afghanistan war, Reverend Jesse Jackson, a survivor of the September 11th attacks and Marge Simpson.
The Alternative Christmas Message is broadcast on Channel 4 at 19:15 GMT.