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The Last Word: Javad Zarif--Finding the 'Missing Link'.
Byline: Malcolm Beith
Last Tuesday fiery Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proudly boasted that his country had joined "the club of nuclear countries" after successfully enriching uranium. The move defied U.N. calls for Tehran to suspend its nuclear program, and came on the eve of an inspection visit by Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Even with the threat of U.N. sanctions looming and rumors of a U.S. military strike swirling, Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran would continue its course. NEWSWEEK's Malcolm Beith spoke to Javad Zarif, Iran's permanent representative to the United Nations, about the conflict last week. Excerpts:
BEITH: What are your feelings about President Ahmadinejad's tough position?
ZARIF: We made it very clear that there are two fundamental concepts. One is that Iran has inalienable rights under the NPT [nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] and respect for these rights--both for Iran as well as any other country [that is a] member of the NPT--is imperative for the authority and integrity of the treaty. The second aspect of our position has been that Iran wants to exercise its rights in an atmosphere of tranquillity where there is no concern about any proliferation suspicions, and for that we have been and are prepared to negotiate in order to allay any concerns.
Meanwhile, uranium enrichment continues. Are you sending a contradictory message?
No, because we have said that Iran will not respond well to pressure. A suspension of the uranium-enrichment program was in place for over two years. That would have provided the necessary time to reach a politically acceptable negotiated solution. So we need to find out: "What is that missing link that prevented a negotiated solution?" I would submit that the missing link is the necessary political will, combined with a mentality that through pressure imposition and intimidation, political results can be achieved.
Is Iran more amenable to working with Russia and China, rather than the United States, to come to an agreement?
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