Weighing In

Ahmadinejad: Muslims ‘Not Against Americans’

But are against “ugly behavior” of Koran burning.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Muslims do not hate Americans, despite escalating controversy of the would-be Koran burning in Florida. Muslims “are against that ugly behavior,” Ahmadinejad said in an interview with NBC News, referring to a preacher’s plan to burn Korans on September 11. "They are not against the people of the United States. They are not against Americans, they are not against Jews. They are not against Christians or Christianity." The Iranian leader blamed the holy book burning and the anger over a plan to build an Islamic center near ground zero on a minority in the U.S. whose “interests lie in creating wars and conflicts." Ahmadinejad blamed “Zionists” for poor relations between the U.S. and Iran, saying, "We think maybe President Obama wants to do something, but there are… pressure groups in the United States who do not allow him to do so.” He added that Iran doesn’t need the U.S., so sanctions over its nuclear program don’t matter. But, Ahmadinejad said, Iran is against the development of nuclear weapons.