IRNA: Holocaust-denial, cartoons, Pope, etc.

You have to wonder if the various Ayatollahs are so uniformly supportive of Ahmadinejad behind the scenes.

Substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati on Friday praised President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for vigorously defending stances of the Islamic Republic abroad, including the UN, and advised all those travelling overseas to set him as a model.

"One should be zealous, faithful and confident enough to speak at the UN; the president stood there and raised his speech, once again questioning crimes of Israel, the US and Britain, especially the Holocaust; he should be a model for those who go abroad representing the Islamic Revolution; they should be watchful not to be deceived," said Jannati in his second Friday prayers sermon to large groups of worshipers at Tehran University campus.

The major cleric also lauded the president for turning down requests for presence in the US Council on Foreign Relations.

"He was invited to the US Council on Foreign Relations but he did not accept, announcing that they should come to the hotel (of his residence) to meet him; this signifies dignity, independence and being a revolutionary."

He urged assisting the president in his drive to tackle price hike, unemployment and administrative corruption.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Jannati harshly criticized the world Catholic Church Leader Pope Benedict XVI for his Islamophobic remarks.

"Pope disgraced both himself and the system he represents," said Ayatollah Jannati, who heads the Guardian Council.

"His comments showed either that he was unaware of Islam, or is a mercenary for others."

In an address to the staff and students of University of Regensburg, when the pontiff made his remarks during his visit to his birthplace in Bavaria, Germany, recently, the Pope made insulting remarks about Islam, its Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and some of its religious rituals by quoting a 14th century Christian emperor.

Ayatollah Jannati questioned, "What a benefit have those, being behind the case of Denmark, gained that Pope is now following their path?"

The Iranian cleric was referring to the defamatory cartoons on Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) published in the Danish press almost one year ago.

Tags: Iran, Ahmadinejad, cartoons, Pope, Holocaust-denial, slime-buckets