The presence of Iran’s President Ahmadinejad in Abuja last week to attend the D8 Summit presented a unique opportunity for ordinary Nigerians to listen to this controversial world figure close up. As the guest of honour at a meeting in a conference room at the Transcorp Hilton where members of the Nigerian public were able to hear him express his perspective on world issues, he was clearly determined to challenge the prevalent Western viewpoint that defines him as a warmonger and enemy of peace in the Middle East.

In facing this challenge, it was interesting that he repeated over and over again his belief that tolerance of religious differences and cultural diversity was the basis for peace in the world. “I love all Muslims, Christians and Jews”, he said repeatedly, “but I regard Zionism as a political ideology that does not promote tolerance and which encourages the oppression of the Palestinian peoples.”

The Iranian President seemed to have a very vocal domestic support group and each time he made certain points in his presentation, several members of the audience responded with a chorus of affirmation based on Koranic verses. It would be hard for anyone who witnessed this meeting objectively not to conclude that there was an element of fanaticism in the support that these camp followers expressed during the Iranian leader’s speech, but in contrast the style and content of his presentation was very rational and persuasive.

Ahmadinejad was introduced to the audience by Dr. Shehu Sani, one of the foremost radical defenders of fundamental human rights and anti-authoritarian advocacy in Nigeria. Dr Sani presented the guest as a leader who has stood for resistance against the oppression of weaker nations by the stronger and as one who has based his strategic policies on support for the oppressed. When he spoke, Ahmadinejad acknowledged this assumption as the basis for his own world view.

He explained that he considered the world to be divided into two camps, those who want to control the masses by force and those who want to support the improvement of the living standards of the masses through resistance against that control. He claimed to be totally committed to the latter course defining it as being based on a commitment to serving the dictates of “God’s will”.

The twenty minutes long exposition of his views focused more on general principles rather than on the specific issues that have generated most of the controversial counter measures that are being promoted against Iran’s regime in the United Nations and by the European Union. He concentrated instead on advocating an alliance among countries that need to cooperate to resist economic and political oppression from the industrialised world. In that light, his speech was an appeal for support from nations like Nigeria to face down anti-Iranian initiatives in the global arena.

However, the most exciting and informative aspect of the Iranian leader’s presentation emerged in the short question and answer period that followed his speech. Most of the questions were asked by Shehu Sani who said they had been submitted by various members of the audience. Among the major issues raised were questions of whether the nuclear policies of the Iranian Government would be changed because of the sanctions being promoted in the UN Security Council, and whether the Iranian Government would pursue a policy of destruction of Israel in the future.

It was noticeable that at no time in his responses did President Ahmadenijad mention the name Israel. Instead in discussing the Middle Eastern, crisis he focused intensely on the sufferings of the Palestinian people and when he made the point that if the Jews were being compensated with Palestinian land because of their suffering in Europe during World War II, then it was unfair for the Palestinians to be victimised because of events that took place elsewhere he received some of the loudest applause and affirmation from the audience. This outing also gave him an opportunity to clarify some of his more unusual stands on the issue of his nation’s right to pursue the policy of independent energy production using nuclear power.

Ahmadinejad denied categorically that Iran was trying to produce a nuclear bomb. According to him, “Those who are accusing us already have more than ten thousand such devices so why are they afraid if one bomb is produced by Iran? The real fear is that Iran will become increasingly proficient in supplying its energy needs and be less amenable to foreign control of its resources and production.”

These arguments resonated positively with his supporters who cheered loudly. The public outing by the Iranian President was a unique offshoot of the D8 Summit in Abuja. It provided direct access for Nigerian commentators and observers to listen to one of the more controversial world leaders of contemporary times. He was an articulate defender of his views and while his answers to some questions, especially over the events that followed last year’s elections in his country, seemed defensive he proved to be a self-confident advocate of his own theories.

He claimed that according to independent assessments of the results, his party had won the elections hands down but outside forces had supported protests which were given much more publicity than they deserved. No one present challenged his assertions or brought up embarrassing allegations concerning the human rights record of his government. It was nonetheless a revelatory moment for the audience most of whom were seeing the Iranian strongman live for the first time.

I have heard this man talk before, u will be charmed with his manner of speech, especially if u r rational and listen with an unbiased, clear mind.