Iran's Leader Says Never Tusted The West, Seeks Closer Ties With China

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday called for closer economic and security ties with China, saying Iran had never trusted the West, as the two countries agreed to increase bilateral trade more than 10-fold to $600 billion in the next decade.

Iran's most powerful figure told Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit Iran wanted to expand ties with "more independent countries", adding the United States was "not honest" in the fight against terrorism in the region.

"Iranians never trusted the West... That's why Tehran seeks cooperation with more independent countries (like China)," Khamenei said.

"Iran is the most reliable country in the region for energy since its energy policies will never be affected by foreigners," Khamenei was quoted by his official website as saying at a meeting with Xi.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-china-idUSKCN0V109V

[markpkessinger]

1. And why should any Iranian trust the West (especially the U.S.)? n/t

[Igel]

5. Apprently the US isn't independent enough.

I wonder who we're not independent enough of?

Rather means that things like the CIA coup wasn't really the US' fault. We were told to do it, given our lack of independence.

Or Khamenei's being specious in his justifications as we ascribe greater wisdom (given that we Westerners are smarter then them folk, at least that's our implicit assumption even if we can't be honest enough to say it). After all, we fill in reasons for them after dismissing their reasons as irrelevant.

[guillaumeb]

2. Whyever would the Iranians not trust the US. Could it be because:

The Iranian military, with the support and financial assistance of the United States government, overthrows the government of Premier Mohammed Mosaddeq and reinstates the Shah of Iran. Iran remained a solid Cold War ally of the United States until a revolution ended the Shah’s rule in 1979.
Mosaddeq came to prominence in Iran in 1951 when he was appointed premier. A fierce nationalist, Mosaddeq immediately began attacks on British oil companies operating in his country, calling for expropriation and nationalization of the oil fields. His actions brought him into conflict with the pro-Western elites of Iran and the Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi. Indeed, the Shah dismissed Mossadeq in mid-1952, but massive public riots condemning the action forced the Shah to reinstate Mossadeq a short time later. U.S. officials watched events in Iran with growing suspicion. British intelligence sources, working with the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), came to the conclusion that Mossadeq had communist leanings and would move Iran into the Soviet orbit if allowed to stay in power. Working with Shah, the CIA and British intelligence began to engineer a plot to overthrow Mossadeq.

Read more:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cia-assisted-coup-overthrows-government-of-iran

So why do the Iranians not trust the US? I have no idea.

[MariaThinks]

3. please - let's see how well China tolerates two faced relationships

[Hulk]

4. Can't say I blame them.

If Iran had overthrown Dwight d. Eisenhower and installed a cruel dictator in his place, we'd still be bombing the bastards. Now, turn that around once.