THAWING RELATIONS

	March 17, 2000
	The Iran story, and to Ray Suarez.

RAY SUAREZ: The Secretary of the State's appearance before the America- Iranian Council had been talked about for weeks. It was clear from the buildup it was meant as a response to recent elections in Iran. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: Spring is the season of hope and renewal, of planting the seeds for new crops, and my hope is that both in Iran and the united states, we can plant the seeds now for a new and better relationship in years to come. And that is precisely the prospect that I would like to discuss with you today. RAY SUAREZ: Last month's parliamentary elections in Iran brought a new moderate majority to the Majlis, and bolstered the position of the Iranian president, Mohammed Khatami, elected two years ago. His reform efforts had been attacked by entrenched and still powerful conservative clerics from Iran's revolutionary era and parts of the army and state security system. But the results left no doubt that Khatami is still ascendant. Secretary of State Albright conceded the power struggle is still under way. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: As in any diverse society, there are many currents whirling about in Iran. Some are driving the country forward, others are holding it back. Despite the trend toward democracy, control over the military, judiciary, courts, and police remains in unelected hands, and the elements of its foreign policy about which we are most concerned have not improved. But the momentum is in the direction of internal reform, freedom, and openness is growing stronger. RAY SUAREZ: But Secretary Albright was frank about the years of animosity that lead Iran and the United States to this moment. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: It is no secret that for two decades most Americans have viewed Iran primarily through the prism of the U.S. Embassy takeover in 1979, accompanied, as it was, by the taking of hostages, hateful rhetoric, and the burning of the U.S. flag. Through the years, this grim view was reinforced by the Iranian government's repression at home and its support for terrorism abroad, by its assistance to groups violently opposed to the Middle East peace process, and by its effort to develop a nuclear weapons capability. RAY SUAREZ: But that historic resentment, the secretary concluded, is not a one-way street. She acknowledged that the U.S. had made mistakes in its historic dealings with Iran. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: In 1953 the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. Moreover, during the next quarter-century, the United States and the West gave sustained backing to the Shah's regime. Although it did much to develop the country economically, the Shah's government also brutally repressed political dissent. As President Clinton has said, the united states must bear its fair share of responsibility for the problems that have arisen in U.S.-Iranian relations. RAY SUAREZ: Secretary Albright spoke of Iran's strategic position in its region, noted the Tehran's government's aid to international efforts to control the drug trade. She took positive note of President Khatami's desire to break down the wall of mistrust between the two countries, while declaring that in America's desire for official contact with Iran, it has no secret conditions or hidden agendas. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: As a step towards bringing down that wall of mistrust, I want today to discuss the question of economic sanctions. The United States imposed sanctions against Iran because of our concerns about proliferation and because the authorities exercising control in Tehran financed and supported terrorist groups, including those violently opposed to the Middle East peace process. To date, the political developments in Iran have not caused its military to crease its determined effort to acquire technology, materials and assistance needed to develop nuclear weapons, nor have those developments caused Iran's revolutionary guard corps or its ministry of intelligence and security to get out of the terrorism business. Until these policies change, fully normal ties between our government will not be possible, and our principal sanctions will remain. The purpose of our sanctions, however, is to spur changes in policy. They are not an end in themselves, nor do they seek to target innocent civilians. RAY SUAREZ: At that point, the secretary announced her removal of embargoes on a range of Iranian exports, including dried fruits, nuts, caviar, and Iranian crafts. This loosening follows earlier easings of restrictions on trade in food and American medicines and civilian airplane parts. The secretary also declared an American intention to increase contacts between American and Iranian scholars, professionals, artists, athletes and non-governmental organizations. Secretary Albright announced America's intention to help settle outstanding legal claims between the two countries, many dating back to the Iranian revolution. After the speech, Albright met with reporters at the State Department. MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: I have to say, I have just been shown the initial responses out of Tehran, and they're generally positive. But I think it was a long speech, I said a lot of different things in it. And they have to analyze it. And we're not expecting any rapid kind of response to it. It's there on the table -- we have to see. RAY SUAREZ: She was referring to a statement from an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman which said: There were positive and negative points in the speech. On the one hand past accusations are repeated, but on the other Albright has tried to admit America's past mistakes and present a new and different attitude toward the Islamic Republic of Iran. Despite the Secretary's olive branch, Iran remains one of seven nations on earth on the State Department's list of terrorist-supporting countries, and its oil remains on the embargo list.