Iran”s president is offering season”s greetings to Christians in a British TV address and suggests that if Jesus were alive, he would oppose “bullying, ill-tempered and expansionist powers” — an apparent reference to the U.S. and its allies.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad”s Christmas Day broadcast will be delivered on Britain”s Channel 4 television, occupying a slot that provides an often controversial counterpoint to Queen Elizabeth II”s traditional annual message, the station said Wednesday. A leading British Jewish body said it was appalled.
According to a transcript released in advance, Ahmadinejad says most of the world”s problems stem from leaders who have turned against religion. The Muslim president doesn”t refer to rival nations or leaders by name or mention Israel, despite his past calls to wipe it out.
“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,” Ahmadinejad said, according to the English translation of the Farsi-language speech. The broadcast will air with subtitles.
The U.S., Britain and others suspect Iran of developing nuclear weapons, while Tehran insists its uranium enrichment program is intended solely for a civilian energy program.
Ties with Britain were further strained in 2007 when Iran held 15 British sailors and marines prisoner for 13 days.
