MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, NUCLEAR PROGRAM

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000851 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PD, INR/IAA, PM, INL STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC PTER CI IR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, NUCLEAR PROGRAM On April 20, conservative afternoon daily "La Segunda" (circ. 31,934) carried an editorial entitled, "The Iranian Threat." Quote: "It is evident that Tehran will not abide by the U.N. Security Council deadline to stop its nuclear program.... President Bush's statements...indicating that he does not rule out a military attack on Iran, and (Iranian President) Ahmadinejad's response that Iran would cut off the hands of its attackers, shows a high level of tension.... But there is a greater threat than the possibility of a military attack on Iran...and that is Tehran's threat that it has 40,000 suicide terrorists.... The deliberate sacrifice of one's own life is hard to counter with reasonable arguments and clashes directly with the hedonistic mentality that prevails in more developed nations.... It is obvious that this cultural abyss stands in the way of long-lasting peace and that it is urgent to build bridges to establish the foundations for understanding." KELLY