The Iranian Authorities Recent Comments on Talks with the United States

Mehran Riazaty: Iran Analyst

June 3, Mehr news Agency- Ahmadinejad in a telephone conversation with the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan Friday night said Iran is prepared to hold talks on the nuclear issue if negotiations are fair and without any threat and precondition.

June 3, IRIB news agency- Iran will not suspend activities to enrich uranium, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi said here Saturday. "Suspension is impossible in technical terms. The Europeans had accepted that Iran cannot technically stop its enrichment activities at the research level but without disclosing it in their meetings. America also has no option but to accept it," Boroujerdi told reporters.

June 2, IRNA news agency- Ahmadinejad said the Iranian nation and government are standing firm to acquire peaceful nuclear energy and benefit from their absolute rights.

June 2, ISNA news agency- Iran's Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki, while announcing Iran welcomed negotiations based on fair conditions, called the recent announcement by his U.S. counterpart as repetitive and lacking any logical solution for solving Iran's nuclear issue.

June 2, Mehr news agency- Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Ali Larijani said Iran is prepared to hold negotiations if the talks are fair and without any discrimination and precondition.

June 2, Fars news agency- Interim Friday Prayers leader of Tehran, Ahmad Khatami, with reference to the US Secretary of State's recent statements that Iran would have to pay a heavy price if it decides to continue the present path, said that the Iranian nation is prepared to pay any price needed for defending its ideals and country.

June 2, IRIB news agency- Rapporteur of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Kazem Jalali said on Thursday the US is expected to do away from preconditions in the talks offer. He told IRNA that the US officials should also respect Iran's right in the context of Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), so favorable grounds will be prepared for talks.

Analyst Comment: Today, Fars news agency reported that Ali Akbar Velayati, former Iran’s Foreign Minister for about 16 years, and current advisor in international Affairs to the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, said “Today the Islamic Republic of Iran’s revolution have been exported to all over the world, and the Islamic Republic is the third revolution after French Revolution and Communist Revolution in Russia that change the world.” He added that all of Iran’s foreign policies are decided by the Supreme Leader.

Therefore, all of above statements by the Iranian authorities could be reversed if suddenly Ayatollah Khamenei decides to talk with the United States.

Mehran Riazaty: a former Iran analyst for the Central Command of the Coalition Forces in Baghdad.