Interview with Iranian President Ahmadinejad
TEHRAN, June 24 KYODO
The following is a transcript of an interview with Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad on Wednesday in Tehran.
Q) How do you see the prospect of Iran-Japan relations after Japan agreed to
U.N. sanctions?
A) At first, I would like to relay my warm regards and hello to the
good people of Japan and all those who are going to view this
interview. Iran and Japan are situated in a common regional
civilization, and they have many commonalities in history. Both
countries are in the east and the oriental culture has its own
characteristic. It has a humanitarian approach in political areas. Both
countries are situated in a strategic region, they both want to remain
independent and both countries are looking for peace and justice and we
think the future of relations between Iran and Japan is bright and we
should continue to stay with each other and work together. But we do
not consider Japan too much accountable for this vote for the
resolution. We know well that the government of Japan decided to
dismantle the military base of the United States and the people of
Japan wanted to do it, but at the moment they have not been able to
make it. This means there is pressure by the United States. Therefore,
we are not going to take this vote too hard. But if someone wants to
implement the resolution, of course we may take a decision. We are not
too sensitive about this resolution. We consider the United States as
responsible for the resolution, because the Security Council is under
U.S. influence and I think this is not going to be an obstacle for
cooperation between Iran and Japan.
Whether we want to or not, Iran and Japan should stay with together and
in the near future major developments in the world are going to dictate
this. In the new world that is to be built, Iran and Japan cannot stay
away from each other. I think this is the desire of both nations to be
together and the governments should obey the desire of their nations.
Q) What would Iran do if Japan implemented the resolution?
A) Economic cooperation and contacts are two-sided. Everyone profits.
It's not one-sided. If there are impediments somewhere everyone loses.
We have a large economy and we have tremendous potential and certainly
we will use all our potential. We do not believe Japan will move in
this direction and we do not desire this to happen. But this is
bilateral. If one side acts unilaterally the other side can do the same.
Q) What is the prospect of the Tehran Declaration?
A) We think the Tehran Declaration was the beginning of the new process
and independent move for nations and governments. Of course, the
opportunity was provided for nuclear fuel swap, but it goes beyond
that. For more than 60 years, some countries made other countries
believe that all solutions should be started by them and end with them.
The Tehran Declaration has initiated a new way for all independent
countries.
The Tehran Declaration says the world must be governed through justice
and all countries have the right to participate in the international
administration, so the bases of governance should be friendship and
justice and all nations must be respected. This is the beginning of a
new process. As we have said, we are ready to go ahead with the nuclear
swap based on the Tehran Declaration, but the question of 5+1 is
different and we should follow it separately. But the Tehran
Declaration means participation of all nations with the slogan of
''Nuclear energy for all and nuclear bombs for none.'' We think this is
the goal of all independent nations and governments. We think this
means we require a new Security Council and a new international order
and relationship. Many other governments have expressed readiness to
join the Tehran Declaration and it means that it goes beyond the fuel
swap toward a new world.
Q) Is the Tehran Declaration alive?
A) Yes, this is more than a swap. If there is a swap, it would be based
on the Tehran Declaration. The spirit of the Tehran Declaration is
common global cooperation, based on justice and friendship, which will
move forward rapidly, since this is what the world needs. The order
established after World War II has been defeated, because it was unjust
and inhuman. We need justice and humanity and the Tehran Declaration
turned this process on.
Q) What are your conditions for talks with 5+1?
A) We will announce these conditions soon. The conditions have changed.
We have always been for talks. We were in the middle of talks when they
adopted the resolution. Well, Turkey and Brazil entered talks with
Tehran at the request of the U.S. government. We were in the middle of
these talks when they drafted the resolution. This means they drew a
sword. This means the conditions have changed. In the nuclear fuel
swap, we are ready to move forward based on the Tehran Declaration,
which is a comprehensive and just and legal declaration. But our
conditions for talks have changed and we will soon release these
conditions. Of course our conditions will be totally just and legal. Of
course we will also have a reply to that drawn sword.
Q) How do you plan to answer Ashton's request?
A) We will reply. We are for talks. It is interesting that three months
ago we called for talks with her and she evaded talks for three months.
But look at the scene now. As soon as they have adopted the resolution
she says she is ready to talk. We think such behavior should stop. Soon
after we announce our conditions, it will become clear that such
behavior should come to an end. God willing with the help of our
friends such behavior will be wiped out from the world.
Q) What is the aim of Iran's nuclear activities and will you continue 20
percent enrichment?
A) Look, 20 percent uranium is not for electricity .It is to produce
medicine. We have a reactor from 40 years ago that uses 20 percent fuel
and this fuel is going to be finished. We asked them to sell us this
fuel. According to IAEA regulations they are duty-bound to give us this
fuel unconditionally. But they politicized this duty and threw this
process into unjust conditions and political ups and downs. Every year
more than 800,000 people use these medicines and we must produce them
ourselves. Twenty percent fuel production is legal and is among our
rights in NPT and IAEA.
Those who have not signed the NPT and have no commitments and are only
using their rights and getting concessions and have the right to veto
and have the atom bomb, they want to limit the peaceful nuclear
activities of others.
Our activities are peaceful and are under the agency supervision. The
IAEA cameras observe all our activities as do the agency inspectors. We
need 20,000 megawatts of electricity. Incidentally, this is one of the
places where Japan can have good cooperation. We have one 1,000
megawatt power station coming to completion. The Russians have proposed
construction of 4,000 megawatts more. Therefore, we need another 15,000
megawatts. Power stations are among the basic needs of a nation and all
regulations allow us to use this right. Of course, we have started the
construction of one nuclear power station. As soon as we finish, we
would have no need of other countries. But we think that until then
there is capacity for others to come and participate.
(More)
Q) Will you continue 20 percent enrichment after the fuel is provided based on
Tehran declaration?
A) Twenty percent is not important. When one has enrichment capacity
one can produce any percentage that is desired. But since we do not
need it, we do not have higher percentages of enrichment in our agenda.
Twenty percent fuel is among the least harmful fuels and has no use but
producing medicine. Even its waste has no use. But since they did not
give it to us, we were forced to produce it ourselves. Now, this is not
something important. If we have it, we would not produce it, because we
would have no need of it. If we have it we would not have any need to
produce it because its uses are very few. We use 10 to 15 kilogram
every year. Of course we need four new reactors, which will increase
our consumption. But in general there is not too much need of it.
Compared to power stations, this one does not use much fuel, therefore
there is not too much need for investment. We were forced to do this
because they did not give it to us.
Q) How do you see the future relations with the United States after sanctions?
A) This is not something new. For more than 50 years, the United States
has acted against our nation. They carried a coup against our national
government 57 years ago to which they have admitted. For 25 years after
the coup, they supported a dictatorial and harsh regime. And after the
liberation by revolution and freedom came, from the very beginning the
Americans were against us. They supported Saddam's eight-year war
against Iran. From the very beginning they sanctioned us and froze our
assets. They have always acted toward us with hostility. They do not
have many economic activities with us to sanction. The United States is
sanctioning other countries. Our economic relations are with Japan,
China and Europe and in fact the United States is sanctioning these
countries. Because it gains no profit from its relations with us, it is
trying to deprive other countries from their profit. This is very
clear. The world has become too big a place and economic relations have
become very disperse. In an era of free global contacts sanctions are
bound to be defeated.
Of course we do not desire such relations with the United States. We
have always called for friendly and just relations and we want the same
thing now. When Mr. Obama came to power we welcomed him and we said we
are ready to help bring change. But, unfortunately, he did not succeed
in bringing change. There is a serious question that we must ask. Has
there been any change? Have U.S. relations with Japan, China, the
Middle East and Asia changed? The United States is still using pressure
to move its policy. It is an insult and is unjust. In Iraq and
Afghanistan, the situation is worse than before. We hope there is a
will to bring real change. One of these changes is about Iran. The
easiest relations are with Iran, because Iran is one of the most
logical nations and governments. We are for talks and logic based on
justice and law. We hope U.S. officials will come to their senses one
day and realize their behavior is disrupting the world and has created
insecurity and discrimination. It has brought poverty and the feeling
of insecurity. They cannot even control an oil well. How can they be
trusted to protect thousands of nuclear warheads? We have heard the
Americans have stockpiled their warheads in their foreign bases. This
means they have transferred the danger to other nations. If an incident
happens, this would be a great catastrophe. We say to them to move
these to a safe place and defuse them and destroy them and remove this
insecurity from the world.
They should remove their military bases from other countries. Why
should they have bases in countries whose government and people do not
want them? This is a clear example of U.S. bullying. If they want real
change they must allow other nations to make their own decision in
freedom. The U.S. government has no right to make decisions for other
countries.
The structure of the Security Council is imposed. It was imposed after
victory in World War II. Now everyone is objecting to this, but the
United States cannot be convinced. It is better for them to come to
their senses and bring fundamental changes. Then their relations with
the world will improve. Now other nations do not like relations with
the United States. It is the same for their governments, because the
United States is a bully. If we were to hold a referendum in Asia, the
people of Iran, Japan, India, Indonesia will all say that they do not
like America and do not accept its policy. If the Americans accept
change voluntarily it is better than not. History will change them. The
people of Iran, Japan, China and India might stay patient for a while,
but later they will stand firm and make changes.
Q) Have the Japanese offered cooperation in Iran nuclear activities?
A) There have been some talks, which we welcome. Not only in nuclear
activities but in other fields we welcome cooperation. The two nations
of Iran and Japan have never had a conflict of interest. We have no
dark point in our joint history. We are two nations who have always
been friends. We also welcome cooperation now, especially in building
nuclear power stations as well as in other sectors such as energy and
energy efficiency, climate, industry and trade.
Q) Was the proposal about building nuclear plants?
A) Yes, some companies said that if you want you can consider us
because we have good capabilities. And they are right, because many of
U.S. domestic power stations are built by the Japanese. A major part of
this technology belongs to the Japanese. We also welcome this, but we
will not remain stationary and we will go on with our work.
Q) Major contracts have recently been given to Iranian oil companies.
Is there room for other oil companies, especially the Japanese?
A) Yes, there is room. Under just and stable conditions there is always
room. But we cannot stop and we must do our work. Experience has shown
that we have always been able to do the work ourselves. We have major
gas fields in the country that still have not been exploited. We have
major projects in production and transfer of gas and petrochemicals and
oil. Of course, soon we will start major oil projects by Iranian oil
companies. Others can also participate, but it is clear the more time
passes the less space is available. When Iranian companies can do the
work and have the resources we will give the work to them.
Q) Do you see the possibility of an attack on Iran after the sanctions?
A) For what reason should they attack? What was the main reason for the
sanctions? What is our sin? We want to progress and we don't want to be
under U.S. influence. The United States wants to dominate our region
and we oppose that. This is our basic right under the U.N. Charter.
Unfortunately, the first violator of the human rights charter is the
U.S. government. I ask you, who wants to attack Iran? Who dares to? Who
is the Zionist regime? It is going away. You know Iran. Iran has not
been created by force. It is a great country. It has not been created
at the price of occupation of other people's land. People have not been
brought here in the name of a new country with the use of machineguns
and terror and killing and imprisonment. Iran has 7,000 years of
civilization and it is a large country with 17 times more land area
than (Israel). We are a great nation with a history full of incidents.
The United States, which is the master of the Zionists, does not dare
attack Iran. They (Israel) are nothing. They dare not even think about
this. They might dream, but they will take this dream with them. They
do not exist in our calculations and they know this. These sanctions
are worthless, but they cannot do anything else. They think if they
wield a stick they can get concessions in talks with us. I tell you,
this will not happen. Up to now, they have adopted many resolutions and
later they have tried to get concession and they have not been able to.
We do not retreat from the position law and justice. Our position is
clear -- it is the position of law and justice for all. Therefore,
neither resolution is effective nor threats. This resolution's biggest
blow was to the United States and the Security Council. What more can
Mr. Obama do? He came with a slogan of change. But the resolution is a
sign of surrender. It means there will be no change. This is the
announcement that he is incapable of bringing change. This is the
defeat of Obama and not our defeat. Does he want to go back to Bush
policies? Bush policies were defeated, that is why they talked about
change. There is no choice. They know well they must cooperate with
Iran. But the arrogant character is to force Iran to cooperate and this
does not work. They must change their behavior and be polite. They
should follow the law and justice and come for talks. Then the road
will open.
Iran does not have history like the United States, which goes back only
400 years. They went and threw out the natives and established a
government. Iran's history, like Japan's, is thousands of years old.
They must come and sit under just condition so that we can run the
world together. We would invite all countries and nations to run the
world together and solve the problems with friendship and justice. The
time for club-wielding is finished. All nations and people deserve
respect and no one has the right to bully others. To think that anyone
can impose on Iran is wrong.
Q) How do you asses Iran's domestic situation one year after the election?
A) Very good. Iran is lively country and nation. It is an active
nation. Forty million people participated in the election with an 85
percent participation rate, which is a record. It was the most free and
lively election. Our people are not a political party-oriented people.
They might make different choices, but they are friends of each other.
All of them want to build Iran and they are united against America.
Today, Iran is happier than last year. Our consolidation has increased
a lot. This does not mean there are no problems. Are there no problems
in Japan? There are problems everywhere. The important thing is that
everyone is determined to solve the problems. The Iranian nation is
determined and unified to develop Iran. Anywhere you go in the world
they like Iran. Because Iran says what everyone wants to say. Iran
stands for justice and friendship and this is the wish of all. Iran
speaks on behalf of everyone. Because we are strong, they adopt
resolutions against Iran. If we were weak, there would be no
resolutions. If we were weak we would have been forced to take refuge
with them and rely on them. They are pressuring us because we are
standing on our feet and they cannot force us into retreat. Iran is
progressing in all fields. Hard work is the common denominator in the
peoples of Iran and Japan.
Q) How do you plan to improve Iran's image in world public opinion?
A) Iran's image is very good. We are seeking justice and peace, which
is the wish of all nations. In the NPT revision conference in New York
all countries accepted Iran's logic and we will continue along the same
path. The bright tomorrow is peace and security for all based on
justice and friendship. We are sure of tomorrow. Tomorrow is ours.
(End)
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