President Khatami: Tel Aviv is actual US capital

IRNA | July 14 2004

President Mohammad Khatami said on
Wednesday that for the American people Washington is the capital of
the United States, but, unfortunately the actual capital is Tel Aviv.

"I have already stated in my message to the American people that
Americans are a great nation. The American Constitution is still a
reference to freedom and democracy. The Americans are more religious
than the Europeans and the founders of the United States advocated
freedom and religion," President Khatami told a press conference.
"It is inappropriate for the American people that their potentials
are not being used for their own national interests."

"Israel has been established with wrath and is pursuing its
oppressive goal with wrath too. It is making every endeavor to
influence the largest economic, political and military power of the
world in addition to relying on it," President Khatami said in
reference to the US.

Asked to comment on ruling of the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) in the Hague condemning Israel for its violation of
international law and the rights of Palestinians for the wall it
has erected around Palestinian territory, President Khatami said,
"Israel has never respected resolutions of the UN Security Council
and will not heed the ICJ ruling either."

He said that the Zionist lobby is very strong in the United States
which has exercised dominance over national interest of the American
people for their own racist goals.

"It is humiliating for the great American nation to be run by the
Zionist lobby. They should stand up to such a situation," President
Khatami said.