TEHRAN, May 2--Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday the role of teachers in the society’s advancement is more valuable than converting dust into gold.
Addressing thousands of teachers on the occasion of Teacher’s Day and the martyrdom anniversary of eminent Islamic philosopher Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari, Ayatollah Khamenei also said teaching is like lighting the torch of knowledge for people, Mehr News Agency reported. Commenting on the significance of teachers’ responsibility toward people, the leader said all the works of Motahhari are like everlasting sources of light that illuminates the minds and hearts of all individuals.
“Hence, the value of teaching in its general sense is both glorious and vital,“ he said, stressing that all individuals are influenced by their teachers.
Noting that all nations aspire to have a society that is independent, talented, ethical, brave, innovative, wise, receptive to criticism and law abiding, Ayatollah Khamenei said the materialization of such an aspiration depends on the efforts of teachers who have a unique status in the society.
The leader evaluated educational activities as satisfactory and said people should witness great developments in the education sector in the near future due to the use of experts.
Referring to Iran’s recent scientific, political and economic advances, the leader pointed out that despots have done their best to prevent Iranians from making progress.
Ayatollah Khamenei further said the Iranian nation and officials will continue their constructive efforts by relying on wisdom, bravery and feeling of responsibility and, more importantly, by relying on God.

Children dressed in local costumes welcome President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during his 28th provincial visit to Kerman province, May 2.

TEHRAN, May 2--President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday fair distribution of resources and facilities tops the government agenda.
Speaking on the first day of his 28th provincial tour to Kerman province, the president noted that implementation of justice is appreciated by all people and those who seek too much and consider justice contradictory to their interests are always against the implementation of justice, IRNA reported.
“We always encounter people who consider themselves to be above the law in the fields of economics, politics and culture, and when their unlawful demands are ignored, they say that it is not fair,“ he said.
He referred to rent-seeking, misappropriation of public fund, nepotism and exploitation of people’s nobility as social ills inflicting the Iranian society.
“Those who used to give thousands of hectares of national lands to their friends resist the implementation of justice,“ he said.
Ahmadinejad stressed that justice benefits all people and implementation of justice is only possible through people’s support.
Commenting on the international politics and conditions of countries such as Iraq, Occupied Palestine, Lebanon and Afghanistan, the chief executive said the people’s problems are linked to the injustice of big powers and if justice were considered in all human activities, crimes and wars would never take place.
“On the issue of peaceful nuclear activities, Iranians believe that justice should be upheld and that all nations are equal in the eyes of law,“ he said.
He further said that people across the world should know that the Iranian nation has access to nuclear fuel technology at the industrial level and having access to all nuclear potentials is the right of the Iranian nation.
Ahmadinejad thanked the people of Kerman for their contribution to Iran and noted that everyone should work for the construction of Iran.

TEHRAN, May 2--Iran’s top nuclear envoy said on Wednesday the Sharm el-Sheikh meeting should consider the interests of the Iraqi people.
Speaking after returning from the three-day visit to Iraq, Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), added that if Sharm el-Sheikh participants pursue other objectives, the meeting will not achieve its objectives, IRNA reported.
“The meeting will be useful if it focuses on the reconstruction and development of Iraq,“ he said.
He pointed out that Sharm el-Sheikh can be held in a better manner and the Iranian delegation has mentioned ways of improving the upcoming meeting.
Referring to the presence of Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Sharm el-Sheikh meeting, he said Mottaki will announce Iran’s stances in the meeting.
Larijani emphasized the urgency of establishing stability and security in Iraq and said Iran is ready to help the Iraqis meet their everyday needs.
“Iran and Iraq are ready to follow up the implementation of earlier agreements,“ he said.
Larijani described his visit to Iraq as constructive and said issues such as Iran-Iraq borders and transit of goods via Iraq were discussed.

Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli

TEHRAN, May 2--An official said on Wednesday if changes proposed by Iran are implemented in the so-called Swiss Plan, it could be considered.
The plan calls for a short-term suspension of Iran’s uranium enrichment activities in lieu of the suspension of the UN Security Council sanctions, Mehr News Agency reported.
Speaking on the sidelines of the third round of meeting titled “Muslim World, Victim of Terrorism“, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, deputy secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), also told reporters that architects of the Swiss Plan propose a limited suspension of uranium enrichment.
“But if Iran wanted to suspend uranium activities, it could have done this before its case was sent to the United Nations Security Council,“ he said.
Commenting on recent talks between SNSC Secretary Ali Larijani and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and the meeting of the 5+1 held on Wednesday in London, Fazli said Iran has always believed in talks on its peaceful nuclear dossier.
“Politicizing Iran’s nuclear dossier complicates the situation. We hope that this issue will be resolved soon,“ he said.
Fazli also said Iran’s nuclear activities have always been within the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency and the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

ANKARA, Turkey, May 2--Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called for snap elections and condemned a constitutional court ruling that annulled a recent presidential vote as a “bullet fired at democracy“.
Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) formally proposed bringing parliamentary elections forward to June 24 as a way out of a crisis that has resulted in a dangerous standoff between the government and the staunchly secularist armed forces, AFP reported.
The move came a day after the Constitutional Court annulled Friday’s first-round parliamentary vote for a new president, in which Erdogan’s closest aide, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, was the sole candidate.
The ruling “almost made it impossible“ to elect a president in parliament and was “a bullet fired at democracy“, Erdogan said in an impassioned speech to party deputies.
The current crisis erupted over widespread opposition to the prospect of an AKP president because of concerns that the party is not truly committed to Turkey’s fiercely guarded secular system and is eroding the separation of state and religion.
Tensions reached a climax late Friday when the influential military accused the government of failing to prevent rising Islamist activity and threatened to intervene.
Erdogan, who has led Turkey since March 2003, insisted on Wednesday that his party was committed to secularism.
He also urged respect for differences--an apparent reference to objections raised over Gul’s wife wearing the Islamic headscarf, seen by secularists as a symbol of political Islam.
“The essential problem is to manage to stay united, preserving our differences,“ he said. “Rights and freedoms are necessary for everybody.“
Pointing to the most popular slogan at the anti-AKP protests, he said: “They say ’Turkey is secular, it will remain secular’. We do not say anything different--yes, Turkey is secular, it will remain secular.“
The European Union warned the army that it could harm Turkey’s membership prospects if it interferes in politics.
It urged all parties to respect the court’s decision “regardless of the unfortunate events leading to the ruling“ and said the elections should be “carried out democratically without any undue interference.“
The Constitutional Court said the presidential election process should begin anew because a quorum was lacking in Friday’s first round.
Parliament fixed a new timetable, setting the first round rerun for Sunday. Gul said he would not press ahead with his candidacy if he fails again.
Throwing down the gauntlet to the opposition, Erdogan said the AKP would also push for comprehensive constitutional amendments, including the election of the president by popular vote rather than by a parliamentary ballot.
The proposals were expected to be submitted to the house later Wednesday.

SHANNON, Ireland, May 2--US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday she was prepared to discuss “any question“ if she holds talks with her Iranian counterpart at this week’s Iraq conference in Egypt.
“I think I could handle any question as asked,“ Rice told reporters traveling with her to the conference in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, AFP reported.
She indicated she would be prepared to discuss subjects other than Iraq at the conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, including the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.
“Our position on the nuclear issue is well known and I think that the Iranians know it as well,“ said Rice.
“But obviously if we encounter each other and we wander on other subjects, I am prepared to at least address them, in terms of the American policy,“ said Rice, indicating she would go no further than restating the US position.
The United States accuses Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a charge vehemently denied by Tehran, and wants the Islamic Republic to immediately freeze uranium enrichment operations.
Washington has repeatedly said it is ready for Rice to hold talks with Mottaki at the conference, in what would be the highest-level official contact between the two foes since the United States cut relations in 1980.
However, Tehran has yet to give an unequivocal sign it is ready for talks and Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Mostavafi said on Tuesday the conditions were not right for a ’dialogue’ with Rice at the conference.

ZAHEDAN, Sistan-Baluchestan, May 2--Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Police said on Wednesday IRIP is determined to confront any misconduct and corruption among law enforcement forces.
Brigadier General Esmaeel Ahmadi-Moqaddam also told IRNA “once any police officer violates regulations, he will be prosecuted in a special court“, stressing that the IRIP is determined to confront corrupt police personnel.
Referring to the police agenda for the current year (started March 21) as completing previous efforts to secure the country’s borders, he said, “The project has progressed by 70 percent so far.“
Ahmadi-Moqaddam expressed hope that the full border protection plan would be concluded by late September.
“The main police strategy for implementing the border security plan is to clear the boundaries of aliens, mostly Afghan and Pak citizens who illegally infiltrate Iran’s porous eastern borders,“ he said.
The IRIP chief expressed satisfaction over the plan to confront women who do not observe hijab or Islamic dress code, emphasizing that the move is not restricted to Tehran and hot seasons.
“Police is ready to carry out the plan wherever and whenever needed,“ he said.
The police launched a plan since April 21 to promote social security and prevent social corruptions which met with criticisms.
Ahmadi-Moqaddam claimed that Tehran enjoys a more suitable ambiance ever since the plan was launched.
According to the plan, women wearing short manteaus (coats), clinging garments and headscarves that do not conceal hair would be notified by police patrol officers.
Women in Iran are by law obliged to observe hijab, which refers to any kind of covering that conceals all parts of the body, except the face and hands. Visiting foreigners and religious minorities are not exempted.

WASHINGTON, May 2--President Bush showed little appetite for compromise on Wednesday, hours ahead of a session with congressional leaders aimed at crafting a new bill to fund the war in Iraq.
Fresh from his Tuesday night veto of spending legislation that set timelines for US troop withdrawals, Bush stuck firmly to his demands on what a follow up bill should look like, AP reported. The Democrats who control Capitol Hill and their Republican counterparts were due at the White House Wednesday afternoon for discussions with the president, just after a planned attempt in the House to override Bush’s veto.
“I am confident that with goodwill on both sides that we can move beyond political statements and agree on a bill that gives our troops the funds and flexibility to do the job that we asked them to do,“ the president said in a speech in Washington.
“The president wants a blank check. The Congress is not going to give it to him,“ said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.