TEHRAN, 24 February 2005 — Iranian President Mohammad Khatami yesterday warned the United States against the “insanity” of any attack on Iran and said his country would make Washington pay a high price in retaliation.
“The possibility of such insanity is small, but our defense forces, our people and the government is completely prepared to make them regret this insanity,” Khatami told reporters after a weekly Cabinet meeting.
“The US definitely intends to hit us anyway, but there are many real barriers in its way,” he added.
Khatami said the Islamic republic was not seeking tensions with the world community but insisted that his country would not give up the right to nuclear technology. The United States has accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons and hinted at the possible use of military force, although President George W. Bush said Tuesday that the notion of an attack was “simply ridiculous”. But he added: “Having said that, all options are on the table.”
Bush should be aware that the United States would pay a heavier price than Iran if it tried to encroach on the Islamic state’s independence, Khatami said.
“America does not like an independent Iran, the question is how far they can (take away Iran’s independence), and ... what price they would have to pay to achieve that end,” he told reporters.
“I believe that if he (Bush) has any sense he should know they can’t (overturn Iran’s independence), and if they can, the price they will pay is far heavier than we would,” Khatami said. Iranian officials consider regaining independence in foreign and domestic affairs as one of the most notable successes of the revolution which toppled the US-backed shah.
Iran has vehemently denied it is pursuing a nuclear weapons program and says its nuclear activities are purely to generate fuel to allow the country to export more of its oil and gas reserves.
Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said that Tehran was determined to resume uranium enrichment, which can be a key step towards developing nuclear weapons. “We are determined to continue enrichment and others cannot stop us,” he told reporters on his return from a trip to India, calling on the Europeans to take “serious steps” in their negotiations with Iran on its nuclear activities.
The head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, backed up the warning from Khatami. “I think the most stupid move by Americans and Israelis would be a military attack on Iran. We are now at the best state of military preparedness and we are not afraid of being martyred in the defense of our country,” Safavi said.
Britain, France and Germany are leading diplomatic efforts to persuade Iran to permanently abandon its nuclear enrichment program in return for a package of political and economic benefits. Iran has agreed to a temporary freeze on enrichment during its negotiations with the Europeans.
Khatami said Iran would continue its “peaceful” nuclear activities and criticized the slow pace of the negotiations with the Europeans. “Iran is trying to reach understanding with the international community, Europe and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) away from US propaganda,” he said.
Khatami said he believed the Europeans were also willing to solve the issue despite a “deep difference of opinion” and accused them of breaching their commitments towards Iran, although he did not elaborate.
In London, Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed confidence in a diplomatic solution. “I think it is possible ... through the engagement that is happening now by Britain, France and Germany, backed by the United States, that we can get a diplomatic solution and that is what we are working for,” he told Parliament.
