U.S. must unfreeze Iran’s assets: Ahmadinejad
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that the major powers must respect Iran and unfreeze its assets if they want to engage with Tehran.

“If our nation sees they have changed their behavior, dropped their arrogant attitude… and respect the Iranian nation’s rights and return its assets, the nation will accept that,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Tabriz.

“But if they are returning to deception and plotting in the region, our nation's response will be the same as it gave to these men’s predecessors,” AFP quoted him as saying.

The United States froze Iranian government assets in 1979 when students seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

The crisis led to the end of U.S.-Iranian diplomatic relations in 1980.

The asset freeze, which has been renewed every year, is a source of resentment in Iran.

Earlier this month U.S. federal prosecutors said they were moving to seize four mosques and a 36-story New York skyscraper from a non-profit Muslim group suspected of being under the Iranian government’s control.

Fifth Development Plan based on Iranian-Islamic model

Ahmadinejad also stated that the Fifth Development Plan (2010-2015) has been devised based on an Iranian-Islamic pattern.

“While the ideology and system of liberalism is trying to maintain its distance from us, we designed the Fifth Development Plan based on an Iranian-Islamic pattern,” he said in a meeting with managers in Tabriz on Friday.

Ahmadinejad added that the system of liberalism has presented itself as the most complete model of development in order to dominate the world.

“The system of liberalism that is devastating to humanity… regards itself as developed and regards us as developing in order to dominate the world,” he said.

The president also stated that managers should not be unaware of the people’s needs

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