men who died in the Iran-Iraq war and told them that Western opposition to Iran was an expression of Western weakness.
“They are angry with us because of our influence in the world,” Ahmadi-nejad told the widows and orphans of Ardebil, where he was visiting on one of his regular provincial tours.
“Their opposition is a result of weakness. They know full well that they ‘cannot do a damn thing,’” he said, quoting a line made popular a quarter-century ago by Ayatollah Khomeini.
That was all pretty standard rhetoric. But Ahmadi-nejad added a new wrinkle this time. He said the United States and the other “arrogant” powers would soon come on their knees to apologize to Iran.
“The day will come when the [United States], its arrogance drained, will come to Iran to apologize and plead with Iran to restore diplomatic relations.”
He said the United States was already so weak that it was no threat whatsoever to Iran.
Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi said the Americans benefit from disorder and insecurity in Iraq. Meeting Monday with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Khamenehi said, “Despite relative security in Iraq, the country is still suffering insecurity, part of which results from the pressures exerted by those powers whose interests benefit from insecurity in Iraq.”
He urged Maliki and all Iraqi politicians to focus on swiftly forming a unity government to foil those powers.