'In Iran, freedom is absolute'

It doesn't make a difference who is in power in the United States. Any government that comes to power must change previous policy approaches, since big blunders have occurred that have to be corrected. The U.S. government must save on the heavy costs of military engagement and intervention, and refocus on improving the lives of people at home [and] to really speak with respect with other nations.

Mr. President, what is Iran's response to the "freeze for freeze" proposal [under which Iran would stop enriching uranium and the U.S. and its allies would stop pressing for new sanctions for a six-week pre-negotiating period]?

Last year, all the subject areas addressed by the [atomic energy] agency to us were addressed by us and resolved. Just prior to the conclusion of the report, the U.S. administration provided a series of [forged] documents [to the agency] and sort of misinformed them about certain operations. It was so funny and superficial and not in depth that a school kid could laugh at it. Of course, we don't expect any better from the U.S. administration because they have declared that they are our enemy and we are theirs.

It is interesting: Countries that have the atomic bomb themselves are all telling us not to have peaceful nuclear energy. It is one of the biggest jokes of today.

You have said repeatedly that the state of Israel should disappear from the map. What action does Iran plan to take to bring about the result of Israel's disappearance? Or is this just nothing more than talk?

Iran has made its proposal loud and clear: We're calling for free referendums for the Palestinian nation to determine their own government. This will be reflected in a proposal which we will soon submit to the U.N. secretary-general. Palestine constitutes a nation that has lived there for hundreds if not actually thousands of years. Now, with the pre-planned thinking, [Israel has] actually displaced over 5 million people from their own lands and collected other people elsewhere from the world and has put them in their place. How is it possible to recognize a state that has come about as such?

If we agree and accept that certain events had occurred during World War II, well, where did they indeed happen? In Germany, in Poland and in Great Britain. Now, what does this exactly have to do with Palestine? Why is it that the Palestinian people should pay for it?