Ahmadinejad: any nation has the right for defense

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad slammed an anti-Islam film that has provoked a violent reaction in the Muslim world, spoke strongly against homosexuality and said what his country would do if attacked by Israel in an interview airing Monday, Sept 24 on CNN's "Piers Morgan Tonight."

The president denounced the film, "Innocence of Muslims," that portrays the Prophet Mohammed as a womanizer, child molester and killer. The online video has led to a wave of global unrest.

"Fundamentally, first of all, any action that is provocative, offends the religious thoughts and feelings of any people, we condemn," Ahmadinejad told CNN.

"Likewise, we condemn any type of extremism. Of course, what took place was ugly. Offending the Holy Prophet is quite ugly. This has very little or nothing to do with freedom and freedom of speech. This is the weakness of and the abuse of freedom, and in many places it is a crime. It shouldn't take place, and I do hope the day will come in which politicians will not seek to offend those whom others hold holy," Ahmadinejad said.

When asked what Iran would do if Israel were to attack it, Ahmadinejad said, "Any nation has the right and will indeed defend herself.”

When asked how he would feel if one of his children dated a Jew, Ahmadinejad replied, "I would have to see who that Jewish man or woman would be. I see love amongst people as completely acceptable. There are many Jews living in Iran with whom we are very close. There are ... some Muslims that marry into Jewish families or marry Christians."

"I - we have no such problems," he added.