8 January 2004 By Paul Hughes Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Tehran was willing to resume dialogue with the United States, provided the talks were based on mutual respect, state television reported Thursday.
Kharrazi added that Iran's recent negotiations with European countries over its nuclear program, which culminated in Iran agreeing to snap inspections of nuclear facilities, was an example to Washington of how outstanding problems can be solved.
But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the last word on all state matters, said in a televised speech that deep-rooted problems between the two arch-foes remained and accused Washington of trying to exploit Iran's recent earthquake for political gain. Speculation has mounted in recent days that the two countries may be edging toward some kind of rapprochement, after U.S. officials spoke of a willingness to resume a limited dialogue on specific issues and Washington sent humanitarian aid to victims of the devastating Dec. 26 earthquake in Bam.
"Iran is ready to negotiate with all countries and America is no exception," Kharrazi told state television.
"If it (Washington) adopts a new approach to Iran and is ready to interact with us based on mutual respect and the principle of equality, the atmosphere will change remarkably."
Washington cut ties with Iran shortly after the 1979 Islamic revolution and has labeled it part of an "axis of evil."
Khamenei said U.S. aid for Bam, which included waiving some banking restrictions to speed the flow of donations, "does not mean that the long-standing, continuous, deep and rooted enmity of the arrogant American regime toward the Iranian nation will be forgotten."
Khamenei's comments reflected the long-standing split between Iran's reformers and hard-liners on how to deal with the superpower the conservatives call the "Great Satan."
"IRON FIST IN A SILK GLOVE"
In his speech, broadcast on state television, Khamenei said Washington had used the Bam quake as "an opportunity ... to pursue their political goals."
"They hide their iron fist in a silk glove," he said.
Khamenei frequently undercuts efforts by reformist officials to improve ties with Washington and in the past has even forbidden any talk in Iran about restoring ties with the United States, arguing it would be a betrayal of the Islamic revolution.
Unlike the European Union, which has held a policy of "critical engagement" with Iran for the last few years, Washington has largely shunned Iranian officials.
But Kharrazi said Iran's negotiations with Britain, France and Germany, which led to Tehran's agreement last October to cooperate fully with U.N. inspectors, was a better approach.
"Our recent experience with Europe on the nuclear issue proved that problems can be solved by negotiation," he said.
While adopting a softer tone in recent days both Tehran and Washington have set pre-conditions for improving relations.
Washington wants Tehran to hand over detained al Qaeda suspects, abandon its nuclear program and stop backing Palestinian militant groups that attack Israel.
Iran has called on Washington to lift economic sanctions imposed in 1995, which among other things prevent U.S. companies from investing in OPEC's second largest oil producer or trading in Iranian oil.
Tehran also wants Washington to hand over members of the armed Iranian opposition group the People's Mujahideen being held by U.S. forces in Iraq and to abandon efforts to weaken Iran's clerical leadership.
“THE WORLD IS A BRIDGE, CROSS IT, BUT BUILD
NO HOUSE UPON IT!”
