Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter to George W. Bush

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On May 8, 2006, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sent a missive directly to United States President George W. Bush that proposed "new ways" to end the dispute over Iran's development of nuclear power technology.

Contents 1 2006 missive 2 2003 missive 3 See also 4 References and notes 5 External links

[edit] 2006 missive

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley both reviewed the letter and considered it to be a broad, historic look at the U.S.-Iranian relationship. It was the first direct contact between the American and Iranian heads of state since April 9, 1980 (CNN White House: Iran's letter not a nuclear fix).

During his joint press conference with Tony Blair at the White House in May 2006, George Bush said," I have read the letter. It is 16 or 17 pages long and single spaced. It doesn't address the current nuclear issue."

The letter achieved more positive press coverage, particularly in non-Iranian media, than President Ahmadinejad had gotten before. With Western powers unable to reach agreement about a United Nations Security Council resolution on Iran's nuclear program, the Washington Post said Ahmadinejad's 18-page letter (originally in Farsi) promoted the idea that Iran was open to compromise at a time when the rest of the world was divided [1].

The letter, the first written communication between the leaders of the two countries in 27 years, criticized Bush for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, detainee abuse in U.S.-run facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, and for his support of Israel.

In this letter President Ahmadinejad repeatedly praised Jesus of Nazareth as well as other prophets. He also referred respectfully twice to Moses. He points out that one who claims to follow the teachings of Jesus should not be waging war.

At one point Ahmadinejad rhetorically asks whether there was infiltration of security services in the September 11, 2001 attacks, and why aspects have been kept secret (paragraph 28).

The letter received various reactions. "Regardless of the content of Ahmadinejad's letter ... such a communication could lead the two sides to direct talks," the centrist Shargh newspaper said somewhat optimistically. "Whatever its content, the letter crosses the red line of non-negotiation. If Ahmadinejad's letter gets a positive response, a new chapter could open and then we could say it is possible to talk and get results in the shadow of war," it said.

The Iranian newspaper Siasat-e Rooz compared the letter with the historical letter by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to Mikhail Gorbachev, in which he suggested conversion to Islam.Mail&Guardian. Iran press hails US letter for crossing 'red line'

The New York Sun, in their May 11, 2006 editorial, point out that the letter followed the format of a Da'wa message, including the traditional ending used by Mohammed in his Da'wa messages to the Byzantine leaders and the nomadic Arab tribes. The newspaper translated this phrase ("Wasalam Ala Man Ataba'al hoda") as "peace only unto those who follow the true path", and interpreted it as a threat of violence. The phrase is more directly translated as "and peace to whoever follows the path", and is traditional with any Da'wa[2]. The letter also includes many references to Jesus as a Muslim prophet, a common signature of Da'wa letters directed towards Christians. The Islamic Republic News Agency says President Ahmadinejad confirmed that the letter was intended as a Da'wa invitation in a press conference [3].

[edit] 2003 missive

According to Mohammad Khatami, in his interview with BBC News^[1], the Iranian government sent a letter to the U.S. government after the fall of Saddam Hussein, but the letter was ignored. This may have been a retaliation to President William J. Clinton's missive on 20 October 2000 that was ignored.^[2][3] In fact, this was Bill Clinton's second letter to Mohammad Khatami.^[4]

The letter from Iranian authorities in 2003 was confirmed by Lawrence Wilkerson^[5].

[edit] See also

[edit] References and notes

[edit] External links

• English translation by Le Monde

• Mohammad Ganjidoost: "A Soft Power, Noopolitik Approach: President Ahmadinejad's Letter to President Bush," USC Center on Public Diplomacy, July 24, 2006.