Trust Is 'A Two-Way Street'

Previously, the U.S. administration attached certain provisos to their presence in the talks. [Burns's] presence in Geneva meant that those were no longer in play.

The U.S. has been insisting that you shut down your systems, and the International Atomic Energy Agency has been insisting on more transparency. What do you mean when you say "resolve the nuclear issue"?

Westerners are calling for increased confidence and trust. We are saying that confidence building is a two-way street.

But you are not going to abandon your nuclear program?

What we are doing is completely legal. The six ministers in their letter to me have clearly announced that they recognize and respect Iran's right . . .

How do you gain confidence in a country if it says it intends to wipe another country off the face of the earth?

This is another question completely. Going back to the nuclear issue . . . our activities are completely legal.

But the International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran has not reported a lot of what they have asked for.

We are continuing with enrichment, which we have every right to do.

What about the other charges in the IAEA report?

The resolutions of the U.N. Security Council are unlawful and illegal. Last year, we responded to all the questions that were given to us by the agency. Later, it became quite clear that the questions were given to the agency by the Americans. After we were through with that set of questions, the Americans came back with new claims that they gave the agency to look into.

The U.S. ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, has said that Iran is applying heavy pressure on Iraqi Prime Minister [Nouri al-]Maliki not to sign the status-of-forces agreement.