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American Morning
Iran's Al Qaeda Link?
Aired May 26, 2003 - 08:32 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the escalating tensions between Iran and the U.S. following new allegations that Iran is harboring members of al Qaeda.
Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is live at the White House. She's got the latest on that news for us this morning.
Hello -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well hi, Leon.
As you know, the tension between the United States and Iran quite high at this point. That is because U.S. officials suspect that Iran is holding and harboring al Qaeda leadership and also supporting terrorist organizations like Hezbollah.
We have seen over the last couple of weeks, really, the administration taking a number of steps, including cutting off communications, the State Department canceling a meeting last Wednesday with Iranian officials. And now State Department officials saying that one thing they are considering is perhaps supporting efforts to destabilize that Islamic regime. Now that State Department official saying that this is not a military action necessarily, but simply supporting groups and perhaps individuals that would benefit from the destabilization of that regime.
It's also important to note as well, Leon, that Iranian officials, including the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, says that yes that they do have al Qaeda and that perhaps they even have the al Qaeda members that were responsible for that bombing in Riyadh. But they say that they have them in custody and that they possibly will be willing to turn them over to Saudi officials. Well the State Department official saying that there is not much of a distinction here between what they call in custody and what the United States is calling harboring and providing a safe haven for these al Qaeda members -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, Suzanne, on the other end of the spectrum you have some more soothing news coming out of the Middle East, the president's road map for peace, so-called road map, Israel's cabinet voted yesterday to approve the plan. Now how big a step is this being seen as -- at the White House this morning?
MALVEAUX: Well it's a very significant step in that it moves the ball just one step forward. But we have to say that this is far from a done deal. As you know, the president, the White House is making preparations for a Middle East summit, perhaps in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, sometime in the beginning of June, which would involve the president, also the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
But again, U.S. officials are looking at the next 10 days in these two weeks to see what happens next. Is there going to be a period of calm here where there are no terrorist attacks? There are even some U.S. officials who say well we want to see a good faith effort from both sides to make sure that they're serious about the road map. We want those Israelis to essentially lift the economic sanctions against the Palestinians. We want to see those Palestinians crack down on those extremists. So there's a lot to be done. There's a lot to see what happens in the next 10 days before they actually make that final determination whether or not it will be useful for the president to meet with those two leaders.
HARRIS: Well, as we know what is said and what is done can often be two different things in that region. We'll see how things shake out.
Thanks -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
HARRIS: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.
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 26, 2003 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to the escalating tensions between Iran and the U.S. following new allegations that Iran is harboring members of al Qaeda.
Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is live at the White House. She's got the latest on that news for us this morning.
Hello -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well hi, Leon.
As you know, the tension between the United States and Iran quite high at this point. That is because U.S. officials suspect that Iran is holding and harboring al Qaeda leadership and also supporting terrorist organizations like Hezbollah.
We have seen over the last couple of weeks, really, the administration taking a number of steps, including cutting off communications, the State Department canceling a meeting last Wednesday with Iranian officials. And now State Department officials saying that one thing they are considering is perhaps supporting efforts to destabilize that Islamic regime. Now that State Department official saying that this is not a military action necessarily, but simply supporting groups and perhaps individuals that would benefit from the destabilization of that regime.
It's also important to note as well, Leon, that Iranian officials, including the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, says that yes that they do have al Qaeda and that perhaps they even have the al Qaeda members that were responsible for that bombing in Riyadh. But they say that they have them in custody and that they possibly will be willing to turn them over to Saudi officials. Well the State Department official saying that there is not much of a distinction here between what they call in custody and what the United States is calling harboring and providing a safe haven for these al Qaeda members -- Leon.
HARRIS: Well, Suzanne, on the other end of the spectrum you have some more soothing news coming out of the Middle East, the president's road map for peace, so-called road map, Israel's cabinet voted yesterday to approve the plan. Now how big a step is this being seen as -- at the White House this morning?
MALVEAUX: Well it's a very significant step in that it moves the ball just one step forward. But we have to say that this is far from a done deal. As you know, the president, the White House is making preparations for a Middle East summit, perhaps in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, sometime in the beginning of June, which would involve the president, also the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
But again, U.S. officials are looking at the next 10 days in these two weeks to see what happens next. Is there going to be a period of calm here where there are no terrorist attacks? There are even some U.S. officials who say well we want to see a good faith effort from both sides to make sure that they're serious about the road map. We want those Israelis to essentially lift the economic sanctions against the Palestinians. We want to see those Palestinians crack down on those extremists. So there's a lot to be done. There's a lot to see what happens in the next 10 days before they actually make that final determination whether or not it will be useful for the president to meet with those two leaders.
HARRIS: Well, as we know what is said and what is done can often be two different things in that region. We'll see how things shake out.
Thanks -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
HARRIS: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
