Lingua Islamica: Khatami Speaks at ISNA Convention

Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is visiting several cities in the United States as part of a visit lasting nearly two weeks. He is the most senior Iranian to visit the United States since the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The State Department issued him a visitor's visa without restrictions, which has upset many Zionist groups.

Over the Labor Day weekend, Khatami spoke at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America in a Chicago suburb, as well as at Bait ul Ilm Islamic Center in Streamwood, IL.

While promoting increased dialogue between civiliazations, as has been his trademark, he condmened the Bush Administration's policies.

“As America claims to be fighting terrorism, it implements policies that cause the intensification of terrorism and institutionalized violence.”

Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
speaking at the ISNA Convention in Chicago, IL

Khatami is expected to travel to Washington and then speak at events at the United Nations and Harvard University.

There are also potential plans to meet with former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, which should prove to be interesting, because the U.S. embassy hostage crisis marred Carter's presidency.

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