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06/08/2006
The United States and Iran
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
May 31, 2006
The pursuit by the Iranian regime of nuclear weapons represents
a direct threat to the entire international community, including to
the United States and to the Persian Gulf region.
In defiance of repeated calls from the IAEA Board of Governors
and from the Security Council, the Iranian government has
accelerated its nuclear program, while continuing to conceal its
activities from international inspectors.
Working with our international partners, the United States is
making every effort to achieve a successful diplomatic outcome.
But the international community has made clear that Iran must
not acquire nuclear weapons.
The vital interests of the United States, of our friends and allies
in the region, and of the entire international community are at
risk, and the United States will act accordingly to protect those
common interests.
Today, the Iranian regime can decide on one of two paths, one of
two fundamentally different futures for its people and for its
relationship to the international community.
The Iranian government’s choices are clear. The negative choice
is for the regime to maintain its current course, pursuing nuclear
weapons in defiance of the international community and its
international obligations.
If the regime does so, it will incur only great costs. We and our
European partners agree that path will lead to international
isolation and progressively stronger political and economic
sanctions.
The positive and constructive choice is for the Iranian regime to
alter its present course and cooperate in resolving the nuclear
issue, beginning by immediately resuming suspension of all
enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, as well as full
cooperation with the IAEA and returning to implementation of
the additional protocol which would provide greater access for
the IAEA.
This path would lead to the real benefit and longer-term security
of the Iranian people, the region and the world as a whole.
The Iranian people believe they have a right to civil nuclear
energy. We acknowledge that right. Yet the international
agreements Iran has signed make clear that Iran’s exercise of that
right must conform with its commitments.
In view of its previous violations of its commitments and the
secret nuclear program it undertook, the Iranian regime must
persuasively demonstrate that it has permanently abandoned its
quest for nuclear weapons.
The benefits of the second path for the Iranian people would go
beyond civil nuclear energy and could include progressively
greater economic cooperation. The United States will actively
support these benefits, both publicly and privately.
Furthermore, President Bush has consistently emphasized that
the United States is committed to a diplomatic solution to the
nuclear challenge posed by the Iranian regime.
We are agreed with our European partners on the essential
elements of a package containing both benefits, if Iran makes the
right choice, and costs, if it does not. We hope that in the
coming days the Iranian government will thoroughly consider
this proposal.
Our British, French and German partners have rightly required
that Iran fully and verifiably suspend its enrichment and
reprocessing activities before the sides can return to negotiations.
This is the condition that has also been established by the IAEA
Board of Governors and by the UN Security Council.
The United States is willing to exert strong leadership to give
diplomacy its very best chance to succeed.
Thus, to underscore our commitment to a diplomatic solution and
to enhance the prospects for success, as soon as Iran fully and
verifiably suspends its enrichment and reprocessing activities,
the United States will come to the table with our E.U. colleagues
and meet with Iran’s representatives.
This morning, United States representatives have conveyed my
statement to Iran through the good offices of the Swiss
government and through Iran’s representative to the United
Nations.
Given the benefits of this positive path for the Iranian people,
regional security and the nuclear nonproliferation regime, we
urge Iran to make this choice for peace, to abandon its ambition
for nuclear weapons.
President Bush wants a positive relationship between the
American people and the people of Iran, a beneficial relationship
of increased contacts in education and cultural exchange, in
sports and travel and trade and investment.
The nuclear issue, though, is not the only obstacle standing in the
way of improved relations. The Iranian government supports
terror. It is involved in Iraq. And it is undercutting the
restoration of full sovereignty in Lebanon under UN Security
Council Resolution 1559.
These policies are out of step with the international community
and are barriers to a positive relationship between the Iranian
people and the people of the United States, as well as with the
rest of the world.
Iran can and should be a responsible state, not the leading state
sponsor of terror.
The United States is ready to join the EU-3 to press these and
other issues with the Iranian government, in addition to our work
to resolve the nuclear danger.
At the same time, we will continue to work with our international
partners to end the proliferation trade globally, to bar all
proliferators from international financial resources and to end
support for terror.
We also intend to work with our friends and allies to strengthen
their defensive capabilities, their counterproliferation and
counterterrorism efforts, and their energy security capabilities.
Those measures present no threat to a peaceful Iran with a
transparent, purely civil nuclear energy program, but provide
essential protection for the United States, our friends and our
allies should the Iranian regime choose the wrong path.
If the Iranian regime believes that it will benefit from the
possession of nuclear weapons, it is mistaken. The United States
will be steadfast in defense of our forces and steadfast in defense
of our friends and allies who wish to work together for common
security.
The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.
We believe the Iranian people want a future of freedom and
human rights: the right to vote, to run for office, to express their
views without fear and to pursue political causes.
We would welcome the progress, prosperity and freedom of the
Iranian people.
The United States looks forward to a new relationship between
our peoples that could advance those goals.
We sincerely hope that the Iranian regime will choose to make
that future possible.
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Hott Spotts will return next week.
Brian Trumbore
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