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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.S., Iran Restoring Ties?
Aired May 12, 2003 - 06:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Iran and the U.S. talking and on good terms. Could it happen with a country that President Bush has labeled part of the so-called "axis of evil?" Iran's president is in Lebanon today, which is unusual in itself.
We take you right now to CNN's Beirut bureau chief, Brent Sadler, for the latest.
Hello -- Brent.
BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Carol.
Yes, indeed, a landmark visit here, a three-day visit by the Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, who arrived at the Beirut International Airport to be welcomed by the three most powerful men in Lebanon: the president, Emile Lahoud, the prime minister, Rafik Hariri, and the parliamentary speaker, Nabih Berri.
Also at the airport: top Hezbollah officials, which the United States and Israel label as a terror organization. And it was just about eight days ago that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell passed through both Lebanon and neighboring Syria to urge the authorities in Beirut and Damascus to crack down on Hezbollah; in fact, to disarm Hezbollah.
Now, the Iranian president -- Iran has been a supporter of Hezbollah for the best part of 20 years, and the Iranian president really saw for himself through the streets of Beirut from the airport into the center of the capital just how much support Iran enjoys here. Some 40 percent of the population of Lebanon are Shiite Muslims, and they turned out in tens of thousands, both supporters of Hezbollah with their yellow flags, with their Kalashnikov motif on that yellow flag, and many other thousands of supporters of the other main Shiite political party here in Lebanon, Amal.
So, the streets really were providing a red carpet reception for the Iranian president.
Now, there is much to talk about here. The Iranians and the Syrians, as well as the Lebanese, are very concerned about U.S. policy in the region in postwar Iraq. U.S. forces in Iraq are now slap-bang between both the Iranians and the Syrians. And increasing U.S. pressure on Damascus and Beirut and Tehran to really follow what the U.S. is doing in Iraq, take warning, take note of the strategic change in the region.
Also, these three nations -- Iran, Syria and Lebanon -- will be looking at how they're going to respond to the internationally-drafted road map for peace in the Middle East.
So, much to discuss here, the first time there has been a visit to Lebanon by an Iranian president since 1979, the year you'll remember, Carol, when Islamic students, radicals, took over the U.S. Embassy there and we had that hostage scenario that followed, which led to the severance of relations between the Iranians (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this day between the Iranians and the United States.
Back to you -- Carol.
COSTELLO: But now, as I mentioned just a short time ago, Iran wants better relations with the United States and perhaps vice versa. Can you get into that for us?
SADLER: Yes, indeed. We've had confirmation from U.S. officials that there have been contacts between the Iranians and the American administration. Not many details, but certainly a meeting that was facilitated with the United Nations, but although it only involved U.S. and Iranian officials. Not talking about a resumption of (AUDIO GAP).
COSTELLO: All right, we must wrap Brent Sadler there -- reporting live for us and bringing us up-to-date on the latest happenings, the Iranian leader in Lebanon right now. And you heard him mention that Iran and the United States want better relations. We'll see what happens.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired May 12, 2003 - 06:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Iran and the U.S. talking and on good terms. Could it happen with a country that President Bush has labeled part of the so-called "axis of evil?" Iran's president is in Lebanon today, which is unusual in itself.
We take you right now to CNN's Beirut bureau chief, Brent Sadler, for the latest.
Hello -- Brent.
BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Carol.
Yes, indeed, a landmark visit here, a three-day visit by the Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, who arrived at the Beirut International Airport to be welcomed by the three most powerful men in Lebanon: the president, Emile Lahoud, the prime minister, Rafik Hariri, and the parliamentary speaker, Nabih Berri.
Also at the airport: top Hezbollah officials, which the United States and Israel label as a terror organization. And it was just about eight days ago that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell passed through both Lebanon and neighboring Syria to urge the authorities in Beirut and Damascus to crack down on Hezbollah; in fact, to disarm Hezbollah.
Now, the Iranian president -- Iran has been a supporter of Hezbollah for the best part of 20 years, and the Iranian president really saw for himself through the streets of Beirut from the airport into the center of the capital just how much support Iran enjoys here. Some 40 percent of the population of Lebanon are Shiite Muslims, and they turned out in tens of thousands, both supporters of Hezbollah with their yellow flags, with their Kalashnikov motif on that yellow flag, and many other thousands of supporters of the other main Shiite political party here in Lebanon, Amal.
So, the streets really were providing a red carpet reception for the Iranian president.
Now, there is much to talk about here. The Iranians and the Syrians, as well as the Lebanese, are very concerned about U.S. policy in the region in postwar Iraq. U.S. forces in Iraq are now slap-bang between both the Iranians and the Syrians. And increasing U.S. pressure on Damascus and Beirut and Tehran to really follow what the U.S. is doing in Iraq, take warning, take note of the strategic change in the region.
Also, these three nations -- Iran, Syria and Lebanon -- will be looking at how they're going to respond to the internationally-drafted road map for peace in the Middle East.
So, much to discuss here, the first time there has been a visit to Lebanon by an Iranian president since 1979, the year you'll remember, Carol, when Islamic students, radicals, took over the U.S. Embassy there and we had that hostage scenario that followed, which led to the severance of relations between the Iranians (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this day between the Iranians and the United States.
Back to you -- Carol.
COSTELLO: But now, as I mentioned just a short time ago, Iran wants better relations with the United States and perhaps vice versa. Can you get into that for us?
SADLER: Yes, indeed. We've had confirmation from U.S. officials that there have been contacts between the Iranians and the American administration. Not many details, but certainly a meeting that was facilitated with the United Nations, but although it only involved U.S. and Iranian officials. Not talking about a resumption of (AUDIO GAP).
COSTELLO: All right, we must wrap Brent Sadler there -- reporting live for us and bringing us up-to-date on the latest happenings, the Iranian leader in Lebanon right now. And you heard him mention that Iran and the United States want better relations. We'll see what happens.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
