Israel, AIPAC Key Enemies Of US-Iran Ties: Louis Farrakhan

New York, Oct 6, IRNA – Prominent Leader of the US African-American religious movement, the Nation of Islam (NOI) Louis Farrakhan has said that Israel and its greats lobby in the US (AIPAC) are the main opponents of normalization of US-Iran ties. Speaking exclusively to IRNA, the 80-year-old leader made the remarks while commenting on the recent statements made by the Zionist regime’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Iran. Farrakhan said Netanyahu was deeply angry with the “moderation policy” of Iran’s new President Hassan Rohani. It is hard to imagine what a heavy pressure was exerted on President Barack Obama by the Zionists lobby for not having a meeting with the Iranian President and not showing a friendly attitude towards him during his New York visit, he added. President Rohani addressed the UN General Assembly on September 24. His speech was highly welcomed by the participating delegates, except Israel. The Iranian President also had a phone conversation with President Obama at the end of his visit. According to Farrakhan, Zionists and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) were seriously angry with the two presidents’ phone conversation. AIPAC and other groups within the Israel lobby influence American public policy in a variety of ways such as through education, responding to criticism of Israel, and putting forth arguments in support of Israel. Farrakhan said AIPAC and Israel wanted Obama to talk with the language of threat and terror. He stressed that support for the President Obama would help him get rid of the pressures imposed on him by warmongers so that he could move towards his promised changes, showing optimism towards Obama’s intention to resolve Tehran-Washington dispute. Farrakhan stressed that warmongers in the US Congress, in AIPAC and in Israel were against normalization of Tehran-Washington ties. Referring to President Rohani’s policy of moderation, he said it was an strategy based on the teachings of Quran which invites humans to moderation. AS to the speech of President Rohani at the UNGA, he stressed that his speech has opened new doors. Farrakhan further voiced readiness to visit Iran if it could help normalize Iran-US relations. He said he visited Iran during the presidency of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani (1989-1997). He said that the US Muslim community, NOI, is trying to help improve Tehran-Washington relations by familiarizing the Americans with the US policies in the Middle East./end