Coming up on Monday at 9 p.m., "Piers Morgan Tonight" welcomes Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
for an exclusive face to face interview that comes alongside this
week's General Assembly meeting at United Nations Headquarters.
On the heels of recent unrest in Libya that led to the killing of Christopher Stevens, host Piers Morgan asks his guest about the film which may have initiated the violence:"The big catalyst for protests at the moment in the Middle East was the video that was released which mocked the Prophet Mohammed," details Morgan. "As a result there was an attack as you know on the American Embassy in Benghazi in Libya, the Ambassador Christopher Stevens was murdered. Do you condemn the attack which caused his murder?"
Speaking through a translator, the 55-year-old former engineer and teacher finds fault with both the recording itself, as well as the subsequent reaction to it:
"Any action that is provocative, offends the religious thoughts and feelings of any people, we condemn. Likewise, we condemn any type of extremism. Of course, what took place was ugly. Offending the Holy Prophet is quite ugly," insists Ahmadinejad. "We also believe that this must also be resolved in a humane atmosphere, in a participatory environment and we do not like anyone losing their lives or being killed for any reason anywhere in the world."
As turnil across the Middle East continues, with threats being made on American embassies, Iran's 6th president contends the current situation is a symptom of a larger disease:
"I do think that extreme, extremism gives birth to following and subsequent extremists," he tells the "Piers Morgan Tonight" host. "Perhaps if the politicians take a better position in the West, vis-a-vis offensive words or thoughts or pictures towards what we hold holy, I think conditions will improve."
Watch the clip, and listen to the interview, then tune in Monday night at 9 p.m. as Ahmadinejad shares his thoughts on homosexuality, and reveals Iran's plan upon facing a potential attack from Israel.
