Washington: US has said it is recommitted to
diplomatic options with Iran, but its goal remains the same -
to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"I don`t think that there should be any doubt in Tehran`s
mind that we stand ready. When we were with the Iranian
representative in Geneva on October 1st, we made clear that we
hope to have a follow-up meeting.
At that meeting, Iran itself said that it was willing to
meet again. Then subsequently Iran failed to follow up," State
Department spokesman P J Crowley, told reporters here.
Observing that the sanctions are a means to an end,
Crowley said ultimately, US want to see Iran change its
current course.
"We want to see Iran understand that the pursuit of
nuclear weapons is not in its security interest. We are
prepared to have a broader conversation beginning with our
nuclear concerns, but it can extend beyond that as we go
forward," he said.
"But really, what has been absent over the past year has
been constructive engagement by Iran absent one meeting in
Geneva last October 1st.
European countries, the US have made this clear to Iran
on a number of occasions that we are ready to engage.
It has been Iran that has been unwilling to come
forward," Crowley said.
When asked how come US is willing to have talks with a
government which early this week termed as illegitimate,
Crowley said, "We recognize that Iran has a sitting
government".
President Ahmadinejad represented Iran at the opening of
the NPT review conference on May.
So from a legal standpoint, there is a Iranian Government
in place.
"However, the issue of legitimacy goes to the real
question and that is really something for the Iranian people,
which is - there was an election just over a year ago.
"Many feel that that election was stolen and that the
result that was sanctioned by the Iranian Government did not
actually represent the actual will and votes of the Iranian
people.
That is an ongoing challenge for Iran.
And from this has emerged a determined political
opposition that, tragically, Iran is doing its upmost to try
to intimidate and crush," Crowley said.
"We want to see a confident but peaceful Iran emerge that
allows for freedom of expression, allows for freedom of
assembly, allows for a much broader and pluralistic political
system than currently exists.
But these are ultimately choices for the Iranian people
to make," he said.
Responding to a question, Crowley said Turkey and Brazil
tried to play constructive mediators.
"But ultimately it`s about whether Iran is willing to
come forward and engage seriously and answer the questions
that the international community has outlined," he said.
"In terms of the narrow aspect of the TRR, of course,
that was an idea put forward by the United States, France, and
Russia.
But ultimately, Iran is going to have to sit down with
the P-5+1 and engage substantively on these issues.
We are prepared to have that discussion if Iran is
prepared to have it," he said.
PTI
