Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=07/10/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=Itran-U-S Relations (L Only)

NUMBER=2-278094

BYLINE=Breck Ardery

DATELINE=United Nations

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Iran's Foreign Minister, Kamal Kharrazi, says better relations with the United States must be based on equality and mutual respect. V-O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from New York.

TEXT: Mr. Kharrazi says Iran's past relations with the United States were based on a "big brother - little brother" concept. That concept, he says, will no longer work.

///KHARRAZI ACT///

It will not be the same in the future. It is going to be based on equal footing and mutual respect. This is what has to be done to build trust between two governments and two nations. But I think there are a lot of opportunities in this respect, if there were a political will on both sides.

///END ACT///

Speaking at Columbia University in New York, Mr. Kharrazi labeled the pending extension of U-S sanctions against Iran as a "negative signal." However, he also observed that the Bush administration is reviewing U-S policy toward Iran and that "we will have to wait and see how it goes."

///Rest Opt///

Regarding Iran's support for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, Mr. Kharrazi disputes the notion that they are terrorists. He characterizes them as members of a "liberating organization."

On the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, the Iranian Foreign Minister says any peace agreement must provide for the legitimate rights of the Palestinians, including the right to return in their former homelands in Israel. He says any agreement that does not include the right of return would be a failure.

Mr. Kharrazi says Iran is a "religious democracy" where diversity is encouraged in the context of religious and cultural identity. He says Iran's religious democracy is drawing attention from other nations in the Islamic world as a "noble political system.".(Signed)

NEB/UN/BA/PT