'The US does not want a peaceful Pakistan'

Iranian President Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the Organisation of Islamic Conference an ineffective body, welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza and proposed free and fair elections to end the crisis in Syria in an interview to Hamid Mir of Pakistan's Geo News.

He claimed the Pakistan-Iran Gas Pipeline project will be completed by 2014. He condemned terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Ahmedinejad underscored the need of improvement of ties between Iran and Pakistan.

When Mir asked him how Pakistan can overcome sectarian problems and misunderstandings between Iran and Pakistan, he said: "The colonial powers don't want to see unity among our population at national and regional level. Just imagine if Pakistan and Iran are united, then there would be no place for our enemies."

He said the US did not want a peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.

Ahmedinejad also talked about Iran and Pakistan's role in the stabilisation of Afghanistan and said both countries can play pivotal role through a political process there. He avoided making any comments on the talks between Taliban and the Hamid Karzai government and said Iran will support only a democratic solution in Afghanistan. "The situation in Afghanistan can only be solved through regional understanding."

He said US must stop interfering in Afghanistan. When Mir asked him a question about the allegation that Iran is interfering in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, Ahmaedinejad smiled and said that it's US which sent its army to Iraq, Afghanistan and they say Iran is interfering. He said it is a joke. He said Iran supports a free and fair election in Syria for the resolution of the crisis.

On threats to Iranian nuclear facilities, he said that Iran is prepared for any such move.

About the US presence in Afghanistan, he mentioned: "I am not sure they will leave in 2014. Yet I believe they will finally leave."

He said that Iran will complete its ground work for the gas pipeline project by 2014. He hoped that Pakistan will also complete its work by 2014.

He also ruled out any possibility of dialogue with Israel.