DATE=11/23/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S - IRAN (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256487
BYLINE=GIL BUTLER
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,
says his country has turned down a request to accept
American diplomats in Tehran. The United States says
no such request was made, but there is a wish to have
U-S consular officials visit Iran to help speed up
people-to-people contact. Correspondent Gil Butler
has more from the State Department.
TEXT: Ayatollah Khamenei is quoted as saying in a
speech to university students that Iran is resisting
pressure to base Americans at an interest section in
Tehran. He accused the United States of wanted to
open an office for intelligence and political
purposes.
White House National Security Adviser Sandy Berger
denies the United States has requested any change in
the status of diplomatic representation with Iran.
State Department spokesman James Rubin gives more
details:
/// RUBIN ACT ///
As a matter of fact, our interests in Iran are
represented by the Swiss government. We have
not made any requests to change this
arrangement. However, as a matter of policy we
have sought to promote people-to-people
exchanges between Iran and the United States,
and in this context, the U-S government has --
on a regular basis -- permitted Iranian
government representatives to travel to the
United States to take part in people-to-people
exchanges. We think it is high time that Iran
allowed U-S officials the same privilege in
their country.
/// END ACT ///
The spokesman says it is in the U-S national interest
for there to be extensive contacts between Iranians
and Americans of all walks of life.
In addition to such exchanges, Mr. Rubin says the
United States would like consular officials to visit
Iran, to help facilitate issuing visas to Iranians who
want to visit America, and to help Americans get visas
to visit Iran. A third point the spokesman makes is
that, aside from facilitating visas, Iranian officials
have been allowed to visit Iran's interest section in
Washington, but Iran has not approved American
official visits to Tehran.
/// REST OPT ///
The United States' interest in official visits to
Tehran is not new, according to Mr. Rubin. He says
the basic points he is making will not come as a
surprise to Iran's government. He says Tehran's
position on American official visits does not reflect
a rejection of such a request from Washington. In Mr.
Rubin's words, "We have never gotten to that point."
Improvement in U-S - Iranian relations is a major
factor in the on-going internal political struggle in
Iran between hard-line clerics, led by supreme leader
Khamenei, and reformers led by President Mohammad
Khatami. (Signed)
NEB/MGB/WTW
23-Nov-1999 16:51 PM EDT (23-Nov-1999 2151 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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