Posted on February 23, 2011 at 8:29am
by Jonathon M. Seidl
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s president said Wednesday he is certain the wave of unrest in the Middle East will spread to Europe and North America, bringing an end to governments he accused of oppressing and humiliating people.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose own country resorted to violence to disperse an opposition rally earlier this month, also condemned Libya’s use of force against demonstrators, calling it “grotesque.”
Iran’s hard-line leaders have sought to claim some credit for the uprisings in Arab nations, saying it is evidence that its 1979 Islamic Revolution, which ousted the U.S.-backed shah, is being replayed.
The embattled movement calling for social and political reforms in Iran has labeled that view hypocritical – and to prove it they tried to stage their own rallies in solidarity with the anti-government protests in Egypt last week. Clashes between security forces and demonstrators left at least two people dead and dozens injured.
“The world is on the verge of big developments. Changes will be forthcoming and will engulf the whole world from Asia to Africa and from Europe to North America,” Ahmadinejad told a news conference Wednesday.
The tone of the remarks seemed to draw on the belief by Shiite Muslims that a revered ninth century saint known as the Hidden Imam, will reappear before judgment day to end tyranny and promote justice in the world.
Ahmadinejad said the world was in need of a just system of rule that “puts an end to oppression, occupation and humiliation of people.”
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