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CNN Live Today
What's Next on U.S. Policy With Iran?
Aired May 27, 2003 - 10:24 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now to the White House and what's on the president's agenda.
Our Suzanne Malveaux is just back from an informal White House briefing, and she joins us now -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, really the topic is Iran. It is interesting to note there is a debate that is taking place within the Bush administration on how to deal with this other -- what the president likes to call the member of the "axis of evil" -- that is dealing with Iran.
The Bush administration has two big problems with that country. Essentially they believe that they are developing a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and also that they are harboring al Qaeda, senior al Qaeda, perhaps even some of them that were responsible for that Saudi bombing that took place killing 25 people recently.
The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, saying that U.S. policy towards Iran has not changed. He said, and I'm quoting here: "We continue to press Iran to end its nuclear weapons program, to work through the IAEA and other appropriate multilateral channels for pressing Iran to end its support for terror, including the harboring of al Qaeda terrorists."
So, there is no change in policy. It's the same.
There are a number of options that are on the table that the administration is considering. Among them would be suspending diplomatic ties. Others, of course, would be to befriend, support or even supply opposition groups. Other things that they are considering as well: to lobby for inspections as well as sanctions through the United Nations because of its alleged nuclear weapons program. And then other U.S. officials are saying simply give Iranian officials more time to find and turn over al Qaeda.
Now, Fredricka, you may have heard about a meeting that was to take place here at the White House. We got that information from State and Defense Department officials, who said that the deputy secretaries of both of those departments would be here to meet with senior administration officials to talk about the U.S.-Iranian relations. We are told that it is not typical that that kind of information would get out in such a public fashion. Generally speaking, when that happens, there are changes that are made. The White House saying that officially it was never on the schedule to begin with, but it would not be surprising to see some of those meetings develop in the near future -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux from the White House, thanks very much.
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 27, 2003 - 10:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We turn our attention now to the White House and what's on the president's agenda.
Our Suzanne Malveaux is just back from an informal White House briefing, and she joins us now -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, really the topic is Iran. It is interesting to note there is a debate that is taking place within the Bush administration on how to deal with this other -- what the president likes to call the member of the "axis of evil" -- that is dealing with Iran.
The Bush administration has two big problems with that country. Essentially they believe that they are developing a secret nuclear weapons program in violation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and also that they are harboring al Qaeda, senior al Qaeda, perhaps even some of them that were responsible for that Saudi bombing that took place killing 25 people recently.
The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, saying that U.S. policy towards Iran has not changed. He said, and I'm quoting here: "We continue to press Iran to end its nuclear weapons program, to work through the IAEA and other appropriate multilateral channels for pressing Iran to end its support for terror, including the harboring of al Qaeda terrorists."
So, there is no change in policy. It's the same.
There are a number of options that are on the table that the administration is considering. Among them would be suspending diplomatic ties. Others, of course, would be to befriend, support or even supply opposition groups. Other things that they are considering as well: to lobby for inspections as well as sanctions through the United Nations because of its alleged nuclear weapons program. And then other U.S. officials are saying simply give Iranian officials more time to find and turn over al Qaeda.
Now, Fredricka, you may have heard about a meeting that was to take place here at the White House. We got that information from State and Defense Department officials, who said that the deputy secretaries of both of those departments would be here to meet with senior administration officials to talk about the U.S.-Iranian relations. We are told that it is not typical that that kind of information would get out in such a public fashion. Generally speaking, when that happens, there are changes that are made. The White House saying that officially it was never on the schedule to begin with, but it would not be surprising to see some of those meetings develop in the near future -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux from the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
