Iranian official lauds Nobel laureate Grass for anti-Israeli remarks

TEHRAN,April 8(MNA) -- Iran Cinema Organization Director Javad Shamaqdari hailed German Nobel literature laureate Guenter Grass for his poem written against Israel. Grass has labeled Israel a threat to the “already fragile world peace” in a poem published on Wednesday. In the poem titled “What must be said,” published in the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Italy’s La Repubblica among others, Grass criticized what he described as Western hypocrisy over Israel’s own suspected nuclear program amid speculation that it might engage in military action against Iran. In a letter addressed to Grass, Shamaqdari wrote that he read Guenter’s poetry with surprise which demonstrated his historical and humane responsibility, assuring him that his words of truth can wake the sleepy conscience (of the West). “Many pens have changed the course of history, and many writers and artists have been able to save lives. No doubt, you were also able to show that the humane viewpoint and concern of an artist can lead to happiness and prosperity,” he wrote. Shamaqdari expressed hope that Grass would be honored and respected by world artists and scholars. The 84-year-old Grass said that he had been prompted to put pen to paper by Berlin’s recent decision to sell Israel a submarine able to “send annihilating warheads to a land where the existence of a single nuclear bomb is yet unproven. “The nuclear power Israel is endangering the already fragile world peace,” he wrote. His poem specifically criticized Israel’s “claim to the right of a first strike” against Iran.