(IRNA) - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Tuesday that certain Western and bullying circles are competing with each other in the plunder of assets of oppressed peoples of the world.
President Ahmadinejad, who arrived in the northwestern provincial capital, Tabriz, Tuesday morning for an official four-day visit, made the remarks while addressing a huge crowd of Tabriz residents who had eagerly waited for him, reports Trend.
Referring to these plunderers, he said "they wage wars to achieve their goals and compete in the production of chemical and biological weapons and in causing discord among nations."
But, he added, "The Iranian nation has now awakened and knows that the current state of things will not change unless these bullying powers are defeated."
Pointing to developments in Palestine, he said the current struggle pf the Palestinian people against the Zionist occupiers is the best example of resistance to cruelty and oppression.
He expressed regret that certain governments embolden the Zionist regime with their support for the illegitimate entity in international circles.
He cautioned governments and entities which support the Zionist regime to beware of the increasing anger of Muslims in the region and of the entire Islamic world, saying "this anger will not be limited to the region."
Addressing supporters of the Zionist regime, he warned that "the Palestinian nation will not abandon its struggle."
"You will understand this better by reviewing your democratic criteria and holding a referendum in the occupied lands."
He went on to say that "if a free and fair referendum were held among Palestinians, they would call for withdrawal of the Zionist regime from the occupied lands and for establishment of an independent government."
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ahmadinejad assured his listeners that there were plans to create job opportunities to meet one of the country's longstanding problems, unemployment, and added that this was all part of efforts to develop the country which he urged all to participate.
He added that the Iranian nation is a "pioneer" in the struggle of states for independence and dignity and resistance to bullying powers of the world, and called on Iranians to stay united for the sake of development and progress.
"There have been several hands that tried to destory the unity of the Iranian nation over the past years and particularly after the victory of the Islamic Revolution. All these efforts have failed," Ahmadinejad said.
He cited vigilance and justice as among the fundamental principles for development of a country, and stressed the importance of fair distribution of the nation's assets and opportunities.
President Ahmadinejad's current visit to this northwestern province is his 16th to various provinces of the country since the start of his initiative of bringing the government closer to the people.
He and his cabinet have already visited the provinces of South Khorasan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Ilam, Qom, Hormuzgan, Bushehr, Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari, Lorestan, Golestan, Kohgilouyeh and Boyer Ahmad and Khorassan Razavi, Zanjan, Markazi, Qazvin and Hamedan.