We Are All Iranians

[Stephen Hughes]

We Are All Iranians
Nooshabeh Amiri- Hossein Bastani
interview December 17, 2009
French Foreign Minister in interview with Rooz:
In an exclusive interview with Rooz, the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, discusses Europe’s preoccupations with the Ahmadinejad administration’s domestic and foreign policies. Kouchner addresses the Iranian authorities, saying: “The demonstrators are representing the majority of Iranians; the youth movement and the women’s movement; this is the heart and the most important part of the country.”
Addressing the Iranian people, he emphasizes, “All the countries in the world are really attentive to what’s going on in your country. In a sense, we are all Iranians. We are all in favour of a peaceful, free and modern Iran.” He indicates: “The people demonstrating for freedom in the world must know that they can count on us.”
Let’s begin with the typical question which exists in the minds of many Iranians. Would you insist on respecting human rights in Iran as much as you care about Islamic Republic’s nuclear program?
It’s not a choice. Both are important. Let’s talk about human rights. We are concerned by the situation in Iran and the way the Iranian authorities reacted against the demonstrations after the election. As friends of Iran we are concerned, given the fact that people are demonstrating in the streets to protest against the results of the election because they believe that the authorities manipulated the results. Our preoccupation with human rights is not against Iran. We care about the general principle of free and fair elections, and of upholding the right to demonstrate peacefully without fear of prisoner prosecution, of torture or rape.
We are also concerned - not only us, but the whole international community - by Tehran’s nuclear program. Let me be clear about this: Iran has the right to have a civilian nuclear program. But we are preoccupied by the Iranian refusal to answer the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). And the questions the IAEA asked were simple. The international community’s anxiety is justified; we are worried about the possibility for Iran to develop nuclear weapons. This would be a threat for everyone. Middle East is already a very dangerous and explosive place; we don’t need another source of tension. We tell the Iranian public opinion that you have the right to develop your own civilian nuclear power and we are not against that. But the government has no right, as it has signed the NPT, to develop a military nuclear power. It will be a danger not only to the entire region, but also for the world, because the regime of non-proliferation would unravel as a result. In a nutshell, we are not concerned in the same way by the situation of human rights in Iran and the nuclear program. We are deeply impressed by the courage and dignity of Iranian people, who protest very bravely against the results of the election.
If Tehran announced tomorrow that it would immediately and completely stop uranium enrichment on the condition that the West stop displaying sensitivity regarding Iran’s internal affairs, what would be your reaction?
Firstly, they never offered such a deal. Secondly, our concerns about the nuclear program started long before the demonstrations. Thirdly, there is no link between the situation of human rights in Iran and the capacities of the agency to do its duty in Iran. Human rights is our concern, the concern of the international community, including the UN system, and the NGO’s.
We will be very pleased if Tehran stops enrichment. But this is not up to us to say that they have stopped it; this is up to the IAEA and the inspectors. Let me remind you that the French and the Russians have proposed to the Iranian authorities to enrich their uranium from the level of about 5% up to 19. They refused, although it was a generous offer.
France is very supportive of the Obama administration’s offer to the Iranian authorities to start political talks. But the Iranian government is still enriching uranium in the country and wants to develop 10 more sites. This is a provocation. What are they looking for?
Do you believe that Ahmadinejad’s administration is stable enough to cut a deal with the international community, a deal which would be acceptable by the future government of Iran?
There is no reason to talk right now about the future government of Iran. Elections have been certainly contested by the Iranian people on such a level that the entire international community is alerted. The same leadership, who is accused of being able to develop a military nuclear power, is also accused of fraud in the election and of violently repressing peaceful demonstrations.
Can you clearly say whether you believe that Iran’s most recent presidential election was or was not rigged ? Do you believe that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s government has enough legitimacy to be recognized by the international community?
What is visible is that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s government is contested by his own people. Some say those who contest are only the young people, only the women, and that only cities are concerned. But it makes three quarters of the population! The way president Ahmadinejad reacts, the way he threatens other countries, is not acceptable.
What is your personal feeling about the Iranian green movement? And what is your official position on it?
In my capacity, I don’t have personal feelings. We are asking the Iranian government not to repress the peaceful demonstrators. We consider that a lot of people in the country were not in agreement with the result of the elections. As I said, we staunchly support all those who fight with courage, dignity and determination for their basic rights.
In your opinion, how should the international community react if the government of Iran arrested the rival candidates of Mr. Ahmadinejad, Mr. Mousavi and Mr. Karoubi? Or how should the international community react if the Iranian government killed, for example, one hundred Iranian demonstrators?
I don’t want to consider such a bloody outcome as possible. I just want to prevent such events from happening. I want to say to the Iranian authorities to stop the repression. The demonstrators are representing the majority of Iranians, the heart and the most important part of the country.
It would obviously be also unacceptable if some rival candidates are arrested. They were legitimate candidates. Look at the statements of some of the great Shiite clerics: these are major events.

And the last question is about Clotilde Reiss. What are you ready to do in order to free her? Are you ready to bargain with the Islamic Republic or exchange her with some Iranian prisoners, for example?

There is no deal. Clotilde Reiss is innocent. She is a young teacher and has been accused of espionage. She was taking some pictures with her mobile phone. Thousands of people did so. The accusation of espionage is false. Fortunately, she has been released on bail. We trust that the Iranian justice will quickly recognise her innocence and release her.
Finally, I would like to emphasise that all countries in the world are really attentive to what’s going on inside Iran. In a way, it means that we are all Iranians. We are all in favour of a peaceful, free and modern Iran. Is the leader in agreement with the high level Shiite clerics? I don’t know, apparently not. Is Mr. Ahmadinejad in agreement with all the most important ayatollahs in the country? Visibly not. Are we responsible for that? No. But we are certainly concerned. And the people demonstrating for freedom in the world must know that they can count on us.
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