Caracas, NU Online
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday (18/9) expressed respect for Pope Benedict XVI and said the pontiff had “modified” his remarks that offended Muslims worldwide.

“We respect the pope and all those interested in peace and justice,” Ahmadinejad told a news conference before departing Venezuela.

<>“I understand that he has modified the remarks he made,” Ahmadinejad said.

On Sunday, the leader of the world’s 1.1 billion Roman Catholics said he was “deeply sorry” for the offense caused by his remarks made in Germany last week in which he quoted an obscure medieval text that criticised some teachings of the Prophet Mohammed as “evil and inhuman”.

At the end of a two-day visit to Venezuela, Ahmadinejad also said there was a contradiction between the Christian values of Western nations and the wars those countries have waged.

“All the wars of the 20th century have been caused by European countries and the United States,” he said.

“A part of the American government say they are Christians, but they are not Christians, because Christ like all the prophets of God was a prophet of justice and peace for humanity,” he said. (afp/dar)