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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

At UN, Obama welcomes signs of Iranian moderation

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the 68th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, left, Secretary of State John Kerry, second from right, and National Advisor Susan Rice, right, listen while U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the 68th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the 68th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

President Barack Obama addresses the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

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UNITED NATIONS (AP) â€” President Barack Obama on Tuesday welcomed the new Iranian government’s pursuit of a “more moderate course,” saying it should offer the basis for a breakthrough on Iran’s nuclear impasse with the United Nations and the U.S. He signaled a willingness to directly engage Iran’s leaders, tasking Secretary of State John Kerry with pursuing that diplomacy with Tehran.

“The roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested,” Obama said during an address to the U.N. General Assembly.

Obama issued a stern message to the international body itself, saying its ability to meet the test of the times is being challenged by the dispute over what to do about Syria’s chemical weapons. He called on the U.N. Security Council to pass a resolution that would enforce consequences on Syrian President Bashar Assad if he fails to follow a U.S.-Russian deal to turn his chemical weapon stockpiles over to the international community.

Obama also announced that the United States would provide $ 339 million in additional humanitarian aid to refugees and countries affected by the Syrian civil war, bringing the total U.S. aid devoted to that crisis to nearly $ 1.4 billion.

As the General Assembly meetings opened, the situation in Syria was overshadowed by a flurry of friendly gestures between the U.S. and Iran’s new government. Obama said recent statements by Iranian President Hasan Rouhani, a moderate cleric elected in June, should offer the basis for a meaningful agreement on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

The West has long suspected that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon. Tehran has consistently denied the charge.

Obama, reflecting the skepticism of many in the U.S. and around the world, said Rouhani’s “conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable.”

Obama said he was asking Kerry to pursue diplomatic progress with Iran, in coordination with five other world powers. Kerry will join representatives from those nations Thursday in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

It’s unclear whether Kerry and Zarif will meet one-on-one on the sidelines of that meeting. And Obama also offered no hints of whether he will meet Tuesday with Rouhani. Even a brief handshake would be significant, marking the first such encounter between U.S. and Iranian leaders in 36 years.

Zarif joined the Iranian delegation in the hall for Obama’s address.

Obama arrived at the annual U.N. meetings with diplomatic opportunities, not only on Iran and Syria but also on the elusive effort to seal lasting peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. While the prospects of a peace accord remain as slim as ever, the two sides have resumed direct talks, partly as a result of months of lobbying by Kerry.

The president praised Israeli and Palestinian leaders for their willingness to take “significant political risks” in order to get back to the negotiating table.

“Now the rest of us must also be willing to take risks,” he said, adding that the United States must recognize that Israel’s security depends on the formation of a Palestinian state.

Obama will meet later Tuesday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He’ll also hold talks at the White House next week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel is watching closely as the U.S. and Iran edge close to direct negotiations. The previous Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, repeatedly threatened the destruction of Israel, and Israeli leaders have pushed Obama to be more forceful with the threat of military action in response to Tehran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

While Obama has said all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with Iran, he has preferred to use economic sanctions as a prod. The sanctions have had a substantial effect on Iran, leading to a spike in inflation and unemployment.

American officials say the Iranian public’s frustration with a deteriorating economy led to Rouhani’s election and is driving his change in tone. But it is still unclear whether Iran is willing to take the steps the U.S. is seeking in order to ease the sanctions, including curbing uranium enrichment and shutting down the Fordo underground nuclear facility.

Obama also addressed the continued turmoil in the Arab world, where pro-democracy movements have had mixed results over the past two years. He defended the White House’s decision to maintain ties with the interim government in Egypt, which took over after the military ousted the country’s first democratically elected leader.

However, he said future American support “will depend on Egypt’s progress in pursuing a democratic path.”

The U.S. provides Egypt with about $ 1.5 billion a year, mostly military aid. The president’s top national security aides have recommended suspending much of the money.

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Associated Press writers Edith Lederer in New York and Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

Follow Julie Pace on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Associated Press

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At UN, Obama welcomes signs of Iranian moderation

Monday, June 17, 2013

Rowhani"s "path of moderation" also shows limits

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, listens during a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a “path of moderation,” the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also make clear where he wonâ€™t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, listens during a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a “path of moderation,” the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also made clear where he wonâ€™t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a “path of moderation,” the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also make clear where he wonâ€™t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 16, 2013, and released by the official website of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, speaks during his meeting with President-elect Hasan Rowhani in Tehran, Iran. On Sunday, Rowhani had his first meeting as president-elect with Khamenei, who offered “necessary guidelines” to him, state TV said, without elaborating. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)

Iranian President elect Hasan Rowhani, center, is accompanied by Hasan Khomeini, grandson of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, right, and Ayatollah Mousavi Bojnourdi, during visit of Ayatollah Khomeini’s shrine, just outside Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Iran’s newly elected reformist-backed president Hasan Rowhani said Sunday that the country’s dire economic problems cannot be solved “overnight,” as he took his first steps in consulting with members of the clerically dominated establishment on his new policies.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) â€” Iran’s newly elected president showcased his reform-leaning image Monday by promising a “path of moderation” that includes greater openness on Tehran’s nuclear program and overtures to Washington. He also made clear where he draws the line: No halt to uranium enrichment and no direct U.S. dialogue without a pledge to stay out of Iranian affairs.

Hasan Rowhani’s first post-victory news conference was a study in what may make his presidency tick.

Rowhani may be hailed as a force for change, but he also appears to carry a deep and self-protective streak of pragmatism. He knows he can only push his views on outreach and detente as far as allowed by the country’s real powers, the ruling clerics and their military protectors, the Revolutionary Guard.

Many of Rowhani’s statements reflected these boundaries, which could later expand or contract depending on how much the theocracy wants to endorse his agenda.

When he appealed to treat “old wounds” with the U.S., he also echoed the ruling clerics’ position that no breakthroughs can occur as long as Washington is seen as trying to undermine their hold on power. Rowhani’s urging for greater “nuclear transparency” as a path to roll back sanctions was also punctuated by a hard-liner stance: No chance to stop the uranium enrichment labs at the heart of the stalemate with the West and its allies.

Rowhani spoke eloquently about a “new era” on the international stage but avoided direct mention of the sweeping crackdowns at home since the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.

At the end of the news conference, a spectator â€” whose identity was not immediately known â€” yelled out for the release of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who has been under house arrest for more than two years. Rowhani smiled but made no comment.

“You can make any kind of promises you want,” said Merhzad Boroujerdi, director of the Middle East Studies program at Syracuse University. “At the end of the day, it’s the ruling clerics that decide whether they go anywhere.”

There is no doubt, however, that the overall tone of Rowhani’s remarks resonates well in the West. The White House and others have already signaled cautious hope that Rowhani’s presence could open new possibilities on diplomacy and efforts to break the impasse over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program after four failed negotiating rounds since last year.

If nothing else, the contrast was vivid with Ahmadinejad and his hectoring style.

“We are on a path of moderation. … We have to enhance mutual trust between Iran and other countries,” Rowhani told journalists. “We have to build trust.”

Rowhani appeared to borrow phrases from another cleric-president, reformist Mohammad Khatami, who preceded Ahmadinejad and opened a range of social and political freedoms that have been largely swept aside in the lockdown atmosphere of recent years.

“The basis of politics is constructive interaction with the world,” said Rowhani, wearing a white turban and surrounded by violet flowers â€” the signature color of his campaign. “Circumstances have changed in the world by this election. … The new atmosphere will definitely be turned into a new opportunity.”

Many questions remain, though. Rowhani sidestepped the issue of Iran’s close alliance with Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying only that the efforts to end the civil war and restore stability rest with the “Syrian people.”

In Paris, Israel’s defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, underscored worries among some Israeli officials that their Western allies could hope for Rowhani-inspired breakthroughs while Iran continues “to make progress in their military nuclear project.”

Although the 64-year-old Rowhani cannot directly set key policies, he might be able to use the strength of his landslide victory and his influential connections, including with former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, to shape opinions. Rowhani served as Iran’s first nuclear envoy from 2003-2005 during a period of intense deal-making with Europeans.

Rowhani’s aides have said he proposed an accord in 2005 with then-French President Jacques Chirac to allow uranium enrichment in exchange for the highest level of monitoring by the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency. The deal did not gain support from other countries such as Britain and the U.S.

In an interview last year with the Iranian magazine Mehr Nameh, Rowhani said he also received a U.S. proposal in 2004, carried by the head of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency at the time, Mohamed ElBaradei, for direct dialogue on nuclear and other issues. Rowhani said he passed along the offer to the ruling clerics and “the decision was that we should not negotiate with the U.S.”

Rowhani has not given any clear details on his advice for the current talks, which face pressure from factions in the Israel and the U.S. urging greater consideration of military options.

But Rowhani appears to favor the general contours of the reported French-backed deal for greater openness as the way to ease Western sanctions over Iran’s nuclear efforts. The sanctions have slashed oil revenue and contributed to a spike in inflation. “If sanctions have any benefits, they will only benefit Israel,” he said at the news conference.

He outlined “step by step” measures to reassure the West about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The West suspects that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon. Iranian leaders, including Rowhani, insist Iran seeks reactors only for energy and medical applications.

Enriched uranium is used as fuel for energy and research reactors but it can be further boosted to make a nuclear warhead.

“The first step will be showing greater transparency. We are ready to show greater transparency and make clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s actions are totally within international frameworks,” he said. “The second step is promoting mutual confidence. We’ll take measures in both fields. The first goal is that no new sanctions are imposed. Then, that the (existing) sanctions are reduced.”

Rowhani, though, reaffirmed the positions that have contributed to the logjam in talks so far: Iran’s insistence that Washington “should recognize all of Iran’s rights, including the nuclear rights.”

He further added that any hope for one-on-one dialogue with the U.S. depends on the improbable starting point already set out by the ruling clerics. “The Americans need to specify that they will never intervene in Iran’s internal affairs,” Rowhani said.

“It’s not easy,” he said. “There is an old wound. This wound could be treated through prudence. We will not seek increasing tensions. Wisdom requires that the two nations and the two governments look to the future.”

On Syria, he said the ultimate responsibility to resolve the more than two-year-old civil war should be in the hands of the “Syrian people.”

“We are opposed to foreign intervention,” he said. “We hope peace and tranquility will return to Syria through cooperation with countries of the region and world.”

Rowhani formally takes office in August. In the meantime, it appears Ahmadinejad’s political foes could be plotting a payback, underscoring the often cutthroat nature of internal Iranian affairs.

Iran’s official news agency said a criminal court summoned Ahmadinejad over a lawsuit filed by the country’s parliament speaker and others.

The report gave no further details, but Ahmadinejad and the speaker, Ali Larijani, have waged political feuds for years. The court has set a November date for Ahmadinejad’s appearance, it said.

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Murphy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Associated Press

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Rowhani"s "path of moderation" also shows limits

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, listens during a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a “path of moderation,” the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also made clear where he wonâ€™t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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