Iran's Mehr news agency is reporting that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted this week the "satanic powers" - Israel and the U.S. - would be destroyed. He is quoted as saying, "I must announce that the Zionist regime (Israel), with a 60-year record of genocide, plunder, invasion and betrayal is about to die and will soon be erased from the geographical scene." He continued, "Today, the time for the fall of the satanic power of the United States has come and the countdown to the annihilation of the emperor of power and wealth has started...I tell you that with the unity and awareness of all the Islamic countries all the satanic powers will soon be destroyed."
Ahmadinejad also referred to the return of Mahdi, the 12th Imam of Shiite Islam, who will bring peace and prosperity for the Muslim world. "With the appearance of the promised saviour... and his companions such as Jesus Christ, tyranny will be soon be eradicated in the world," he said, implying that in his return is the annihilation of the U.S.
A day later, at the U.N. Food Summit in Rome, Ahmadinejad repeated his prediction that the U.S . would soon be destroyed. "The U.S. domination is on the fall. Iran and Japan as two civilized and influential nations should get ready for a world minus the U.S.," he told Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and called for cooperation between the two countries. "Enemies do not wish Iran and Japan to find their historical and true status. The time has come for both countries to draw up the horizon for their long-term cooperation."
Fukuda said he believed Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful. "Iran is entitled to peaceful use of nuclear technology for energy generation. It should however find other means for optimal energy consumption and Japan is ready to help Iran in that respect." At that same summit Ahmadinejad told attendees that food and fuel prices have been manipulated by world powers with "devilish motivations" and used the opportunity to once again attack Israel . " The people of Europe have suffered the most harm from Zionists and today the costs of that falsified regime, whether political or economic, are on Europe's shoulders." Ahmadinejad was largely shunned by the hosts of the conference and the 40-some heads of state in attendance.
