The White House Blog

President Obama Speaks Out on Iran Violence

A violent Iranian government crackdown on protesters this weekend has reportedly resulted in multiple deaths, as well as the arrests of hundreds of demonstrators, including several political figures and human rights activists.  The continued government suppression since the contested June presidential elections has drawn sharp international criticism.  The United States will always bear witness for and stand by those in Iran, and around the world, who seek to exercise their universal human rights.

Read the President's latest remarks:

Before I leave, let me also briefly address the events that have taken place over the last few days in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States joins with the international community in strongly condemning the violent and unjust suppression of innocent Iranian citizens, which has apparently resulted in detentions, injuries, and even death.

For months, the Iranian people have sought nothing more than to exercise their universal rights. Each time they have done so, they have been met with the iron fist of brutality, even on solemn occasions and holy days. And each time that has happened, the world has watched with deep admiration for the courage and the conviction of the Iranian people who are part of Iran's great and enduring civilization.

What's taking place within Iran is not about the United States or any other country. It's about the Iranian people and their aspirations for justice and a better life for themselves. And the decision of Iran's leaders to govern through fear and tyranny will not succeed in making those aspirations go away.

As I said in Oslo, it's telling when governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation.

Along with all free nations, the United States stands with those who seek their universal rights. We call upon the Iranian government to abide by the international obligations that it has to respect the rights of its own people.

We call for the immediate release of all who have been unjustly detained within Iran. We will continue to bear witness to the extraordinary events that are taking place there. And I'm confident that history will be on the side of those who seek justice.

Updated to include translations in Persian and Arabic.

Persian:

رئیس جمهوری در ارتباط با خشونت درایران سخن می گوید
سرکوب خشونت بار معترضان به وسیلۀ دولت ایران در پایان این هفته، بر اساس گزارشها، به چندین مورد مرگ و بازداشت صدها تن از تظاهر کنندگان، از جمله چندین نفر از چهره های سیاسی و فعالان حقوق بشر انجامیده است. اقدامات پیگیر سرکوبگرانه از جانب دولت بعد از انتخابات اختلاف انگیز ریاست جهوری ماه ژوئن، به انتقادات تند در سطح بین المللی دامن زده است. ایالات متحده همواره برای کسانی که درایران، و درسراسر جهان خوستار به کاربستن حقوق جهانی بشر خود هستند نقش گواه را ایفا می کند و در کنارشان ایستاده است.  
به آخرین سخنان رئیس جمهوری در زیر رجوع کنید:
پیش از این که اینجا را ترک کنم من اجازه دهید به اختصار به رویدادهایی که ظرف چند روز گذشته در جمهوری اسلامی ایران رخ داده است نیز بپردازم. ایالات متحده برای محکوم ساختن هرچه شدید تر سرکوب خشونت آمیز و غیرعادلانۀ شهروندان بی گناه ایرانی که ظاهرا به موارد متعددی از بازداشتها و جراحات و حتی مرگ منجر شده است، به جامعۀ بین المللی می پیوندد. 
طی چندین ماه مردم ایران خواستار چیزی بیشتر از برخوردرای از حقوق جهانی خود نبوده اند. هر بار که آنها چنین کرده اند، حتی در موقعیت های خطیر و روزهای مقدس، با مشت آهنین خشونت روبرو شده اند. و هر بار که این اتفاق افتاده، جهان با احساس عمیق ستایش برای شجاعت و عزم راسخ مردم ایران که بخشی از تمدن بزرگ و برجای ماندنی ایران اند، به نظاره نشسته است. 
آنچه که در داخل ایران در حال روی دادن است با ایالات متحده یا هیچ کشور دیگری ارتباط ندارد – بلکه مربوط به مردم ایران و آرمانهای عدالتخواهی آنها و یک زندگی بهتر برای خودشان است. و تصمیم رهبران ایران برای حکومت از طریق توسل به ترس و ستمکاری، به از میان بردن آن آرمان ها توفیق نخواهد یافت.  و همانگونه که من در اسلو اعلام داشتم، این روش هنگامی بروز می کند که دولتها از آرمانهای مردم خود بیش از قدرت هر کشور دیگری وحشت دارند.
ایالات متحده همراه با دیگر کشورهای آزاد در کنار کسانی که خواستار حقوق جهانی خود هستند ایستاده است. ما از دولت ایران می خواهیم تا الزامات بین المللی ای را که نسبت به رعایت حقوق مردم خود دارد محترم شمارد. ما آزادی بی درنگ کسانی را که به طرز غیرعادلانه ای در داخل ایران بازداشت شده اند خواستاریم. ما به نقش خود به عنوان  گواه رویدادهای خارق العاده ای که در ایران در حال رخ دادن است ادامه می دهیم. و من اطمینان دارم که تاریخ در کنار جستجو کنندگان عدالت قرار خواهد داشت.

Arabic:

الرئيس يجاهر برأيه حول العنف في إيران
شنت الحكومة الإيرانية حملة عنيفة على المحتجين خلال هذه العطلة الأسبوعية، وذكر أن ذلك أسفر عن العديد من الوفيات، وكذلك عن اعتقال مئات من المتظاهرين، بمن فيهم عدد من الشخصيات السياسية والناشطين في مجال حقوق الإنسان. وقد أثار استمرار تلك الحكومة في عمليات القمع منذ الانتخابات الرئاسية المتنازع عليها في شهر حزيران/يونيو، انتقادات دولية حادة. وسوف تظل الولايات المتحدة على الدوام شاهدة ومناصرة لأولئك في إيران وحول العالم الذين يسعون إلى ممارسة حقوقهم الإنسانية وفق الأعراف الدولية.
فيما يلي أحدث تصريح للرئيس حول الموضوع:
 قبل أن أغادر، دعوني أتطرق أيضا بإيجاز إلى الأحداث التي جرت خلال الأيام القليلة الماضية في جمهورية إيران الإسلامية.
إن الولايات المتحدة تنضم إلى الأسرة الدولية في التنديد بشدة بالقمع العنيف والظالم للمواطنين الإيرانيين الأبرياء الذي أسفر على ما يبدو عن اعتقالات واحتجازات وإصابات، وحتى إلى الموت.
فطيلة أشهر، لم يسع الشعب الإيراني إلى شيء أكثر من ممارسة حقوقه وفق الأعراف الدولية. وفي كل مرة فعلوا ذلك كانوا يجابهون بقبضة الوحشية الحديدية، حتى في المناسبات الجليلة والأيام المقدسة. وفي كل مرة حدث ذلك، كان العالم يراقب بكل إعجاب شجاعة وإيمان الشعب الإيراني الذي هو جزء من حضارة إيران العظيمة والباقية على الدوام.
إن ما يحدث داخل إيران لا يتعلق بالولايات المتحدة أو بأي دولة أخرى- إنه يتعلق بالشعب الإيراني وتطلعاته إلى العدالة والحياة الأفضل لهم. ولن يفلح قرار الزعماء الإيرانيين بأن يحكموا عن طريق التخويف والطغيان في تبديد هذه التطلعات. وكما قلت في أوسلو، إنه لشيء معبر حينما تخشى الحكومات تطلعات شعوبها أكثر مما تخشى قوة أي دولة أخرى.
والولايات المتحدة، ومعها جميع الأمم الحرة، تقف مع أولئك الذين يسعون إلى نيل حقوقهم وفق الأعراف الدولية. ونحن نهيب بالحكومة الإيرانية أن تمتثل للالتزامات الدولية الواجبة عليها وأن تحترم حقوق شعبها. وإننا ننادي بالإفراج فورا عن جميع الذين احتجزوا داخل إيران عن غير وجه حق. وسوف  نظل شهودا على الأحداث الاستثنائية الجارية هناك. وإنني على ثقة بأن التاريخ سينتصر لأولئك الذين يسعون لتحقيق العدالة.

Weekly Address: Celebrating Christmas and Honoring Those Who Serve

For the first time in a weekly address, the President is joined by the First Lady as they celebrate Christmas. They both honor those serving overseas, those who have sacrificed for their country, and the families that stand by them.  Find ways to lend our troops and their families a hand through DOD’s Military Homefront, OurMilitary.mil, and of course the USO.

Another Tremendous Step Forward for Health Insurance Reform

Speaking in the State Dining Room, the President, joined by Vice President Biden, congratulated the Senate on its historic vote to pass health insurance reform.

The full transcript of the President's remarks is below:

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  In a historic vote that took place this morning members of the Senate joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a landmark health insurance reform package -- legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century-long struggle to reform America’s health care system.

Ever since Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform in 1912, seven Presidents -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- have taken up the cause of reform.  Time and time again, such efforts have been blocked by special interest lobbyists who’ve perpetuated a status quo that works better for the insurance industry than it does for the American people.  But with passage of reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people.

The reform bill that passed the Senate this morning, like the House bill, includes the toughest measures ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable.  Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny you coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition.  They will no longer be able to drop your coverage when you get sick.  No longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for the treatments you need.  And you’ll be able to appeal unfair decisions by insurance companies to an independent party.

If this legislation becomes law, workers won’t have to worry about losing coverage if they lose or change jobs.  Families will save on their premiums.  Businesses that would see their costs rise if we do not act will save money now, and they will save money in the future.  This bill will strengthen Medicare, and extend the life of the program.  It will make coverage affordable for over 30 million Americans who do not have it -- 30 million Americans.  And because it is paid for and curbs the waste and inefficiency in our health care system, this bill will help reduce our deficit by as much as $1.3 trillion in the coming decades, making it the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade. 

As I’ve said before, these are not small reforms; these are big reforms.  If passed, this will be the most important piece of social policy since the Social Security Act in the 1930s, and the most important reform of our health care system since Medicare passed in the 1960s.  And what makes it so important is not just its cost savings or its deficit reductions.  It’s the impact reform will have on Americans who no longer have to go without a checkup or prescriptions that they need because they can’t afford them; on families who no longer have to worry that a single illness will send them into financial ruin; and on businesses that will no longer face exorbitant insurance rates that hamper their competitiveness.  It’s the difference reform will make in the lives of the American people. 

I want to commend Senator Harry Reid, extraordinary work that he did; Speaker Pelosi for her extraordinary leadership and dedication.  Having passed reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we now have to take up the last and most important step and reach an agreement on a final reform bill that I can sign into law.  And I look forward to working with members of Congress in both chambers over the coming weeks to do exactly that.

With today’s vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country.  Our challenge, then, is to finish the job.  We can't doom another generation of Americans to soaring costs and eroding coverage and exploding deficits.  Instead we need to do what we were sent here to do and improve the lives of the people we serve.  For the sake of our citizens, our economy, and our future, let’s make 2010 the year we finally reform health care in the United States of America.

Everybody, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.

 

Q    Do you have a holiday wish for the troops?

 

THE PRESIDENT:  I do, and I will be actually -- I'm on my way right now to call a few of them and wish them Merry Christmas and to thank them for their extraordinary service as they're posted in Iraq and Afghanistan.

American and Kenyan Youth Deliver Environmental Messages in Copenhagen

As President Obama called world leaders back to the table in Copenhagen to work on an agreement, the White House Offices of Energy and Climate Change and Public Engagement helped facilitate a meeting between White House aides and young environmental leaders from the United States and Kenya. The American coalition hand-delivered hundreds of letters-to-the-President from a wide spectrum of young Americans: from high school students in Illinois to young leaders in Michigan to young sportsmen in South Dakota.

The Kenyan coalition brought a book of drawings and illustrations from students in Nyang’oma Kogelo village, where President Obama’s father lived. Included was a collage of letters depicting young Kenyans’ lives and the ways in which climate and environmental change has impacted it.

Hear from the American and Kenyan youth here:

Take a look at some of the notes and artwork here: