IRAN: TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL HASSAN ROHANI REACTION TO US SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMENTS ON IRAN
Record ID:
222786
IRAN: TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL HASSAN ROHANI REACTION TO US SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMENTS ON IRAN
- Title: IRAN: TOP IRANIAN OFFICIAL HASSAN ROHANI REACTION TO US SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMENTS ON IRAN
- Date: 6th February 2005
- Summary: (W3) TEHRAN, IRAN (FEBRUARY 6, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV (Farsi) IRANIAN TOP NEGOTIATOR AND SECRETARY GENERAL OF IRAN'S SUPREME NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL HASSAN ROHANI SAYING: "If America prepares the conditions for equal negotiations between Iran and America as two equal countries with equal rights, I think through these conditions, it would be possible to adopt another decision vis-a-vis the United States." 0.20 2. SLV ROHANI TALKING TO REPORTER 0.28 3. MCU (Farsi) ROHANI ASKED: "Recent comments made by U.S. and European officials suggest they have a united approach on Iran. How do you think this will affect the nuclear negotiations you are engaged in?" ROHANI ANSWERS: "Basically, America and Europe, regarding Iran's nuclear issue, have some common aims and some united views. In regard to some other goals, they have different views and think differently. Since the beginning, the Europeans have adopted a policy based on talks and negotiations with Iran. The basis for America's dealing with Iran was threats ... But at the same time.." SAYING: "We are in talks with the Europeans and we hope the Americans, by pressuring the Europeans, are not going to destroy the talks and cause their failure." 0.46 4. CU PLATE WITH PHOTOGRAPH OF AYATOLAH KHOMEINI AND KHAMENEI 0.51 5. MCU (Farsi) ROHANI ASKED ABOUT THE PARIS AGREEMENT SAYING: "In the Paris agreement it has clearly been mentioned that both sides should reach an agreement on objective guarantees for Iran not to divert to a military programme. So the basis of our talks is not hindering Iran from having the nuclear fuel cycle, but rather it is Iran giving guarantees of not having diversion." 1.10 6. SLV ROHANI TALKING TO REPORTERS AND SHAKING HANDS 1.18 7. MCU (Farsi) ASKED:I imagine the Americans believe that at least technically it will slow Iran from reaching what they think is its goal of having a bomb. So there is a risk of attack. Do you not take the risk of attack seriously? ROHANI SAYING: "I do not think America itself will take such a risk. Because America knows very well that we will strongly answer such an attack. The Americans are very well aware of our capabilities. They know our capabilities for retaliating against such attacks." (HE CONTINUES - NOT ON TAPE: I do not think in their final calculations, they will take such risks. Besides, in case of any such attacks, we will definitely have greater motivation to make our fuel cycle and will accelerate it.) 1.36 8. SLV ROHANI SITTING DOWN FOR INTERVIEW 1.42 9. MCU (Farsi) ROHANI, SAYING: "All officials of Islamic Republic of Iran are insisting that, atomic activities of Iran are merely peaceful, and will remain peaceful. We have never been looking after atomic weapons, and will never be looking after it." 2.03 10. SLV OF ROHANI IN HIS OFFICE 2.08 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st February 2005 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: TEHRAN, IRAN
- Country: Iran
- Reuters ID: LVABVVHQYV2PY8XIAVOCI7X6O5Z1
- Story Text: Top Iranian official Hassan Rohani reaction to US
Secretary of State's comments on Iran.
Iran's chief nuclear negotiator warned on Sunday
(February 6) Iran would both retaliate and accelerate its
drive to master nuclear technology if the United States or
Israel attacked its atomic facilities.
Hassan Rohani, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme
National Security Council, also told Reuters there was
nothing the West could offer Tehran that would persuade it
to scrap a nuclear programme which Washington fears may be
used to make bombs.
Speaking in a rare interview Rohani called for free and
fair talks with the United States.
"If America prepares the conditions for equal
negotiations between Iran and America as two equal
countries with equal rights, I think through theses
conditions, it would be possible to adopt another decision
vis-a-vis the United States," Rohani said.
EU diplomats have voiced frustration at Iran's refusal
to give way on what it calls its "red line" -- developing a
full nuclear fuel cycle -- saying Tehran's stance is
"unacceptable".
Rohani complained the EU talks, due to resume in Geneva
this week, have yet to result in anything concrete thus
far.
But he said Europe preferred negotiations whilst
America used threats to deal with Iran.
"We are in talks with the Europeans and we hope the
Americans, by pressuring the Europeans, are not going to
destroy the talks and cause their failure," he said.
EU diplomats in Vienna have told Reuters Iran is breaking
the spirit of its agreement to freeze enrichment by
conducting quality control checks of enrichment centrifuge
parts.
But Rohani insisted Iran was sticking to the deal it
made with the EU in Paris last November. He said Iran was
fully committed to whatever was agreed with the Europeans
and denied "contradicting" the Paris agreement at all
"In the Paris agreement it has clearly been mentioned
that both sides should reach an agreement on objective
guarantees for Iran not to divert to a military programme.
So the basis of our talks is not hindering Iran from having
the nuclear fuel cycle, but rather it is Iran giving
guarantees of not having diversion," Rohani said.
Asked if Iran took the risk of attack by the United
States seriously Rohani said it would respond strongly to
any such attack. Both the United States and Israel have
said a nuclear-armed Iran would be unacceptable.
"I do not think America itself will take such a risk.
Because America knows very well that we will strongly
answer such an attack. The Americans are very well aware of
our capabilities. They know our capabilities for
retaliating against such attacks," Rohani said.
Iran has ballistic missiles which can hit Israel and
U.S. bases in the Gulf and has vowed to retaliate strongly
should either country try to repeat Israel's 1981
successful bombing of Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor.
Iran says its nuclear programme will be used to
generate electricity, not make bombs. Washington says
Tehran is using a civilian nuclear programme as a front for
weapons development.
U.S. President George W. Bush has refused to rule out
military strikes against Iran to prevent it from developing
nuclear weapons. But Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
said on Friday a U.S. attack was "not on the agenda".
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney last month warned
Israel could in the future try to attack Iran's nuclear
facilities. Israel -- believed to be the Middle East's only
nuclear armed state -- has not said it will attack.
The European Union, led by Britain, Germany and France,
is trying to persuade Iran to turn a temporary freeze on
sensitive nuclear work, like uranium enrichment, into
permanent cessation in return for economic and political
incentives.
"All officials of Islamic Republic of Iran are
insisting that atomic activities of Iran are merely
peaceful, and will remain peaceful. We have never been
looking after atomic weapons, and will never be looking
after it," Rohani said.
Rohani said Iran would review progress in the talks in
mid-March before taking any decision on whether to resume
uranium enrichment which it froze in November.
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