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| Rouhani Says Iran Has No Plan for Nuclear Weapons | Rouhani Says Iran Has No Plan for Nuclear Weapons |
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| DAVOS, Switzerland — Describing himself as an advocate of “prudent moderation” as he pursued a diplomatic offensive to remold his country’s image on Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani said he sought “constructive engagement” with Iran’s neighbors and pledged that his country had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons. | DAVOS, Switzerland — Describing himself as an advocate of “prudent moderation” as he pursued a diplomatic offensive to remold his country’s image on Thursday, President Hassan Rouhani said he sought “constructive engagement” with Iran’s neighbors and pledged that his country had no intention of acquiring nuclear weapons. |
| He was speaking in this Alpine village at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum while, elsewhere in Switzerland, international negotiators sought to persuade Syrian government representatives and their exiled adversaries to sit down face-to-face at peace talks seeking an end to Syria’s nearly three-year civil war. Iran is a key player in the region’s diplomacy and the principal regional ally of President Bashar al-Assad. | He was speaking in this Alpine village at the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum while, elsewhere in Switzerland, international negotiators sought to persuade Syrian government representatives and their exiled adversaries to sit down face-to-face at peace talks seeking an end to Syria’s nearly three-year civil war. Iran is a key player in the region’s diplomacy and the principal regional ally of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| In the speech, Mr. Rouhani referred to recent cooperation with the United States and other powers on his country’s nuclear program as a “major development” and urged American leaders to accept his country’s Islamic revolution as the culmination of a century of struggle for freedom. | |
| “I strongly and clearly state that nuclear weapons have no place in our security strategy and Iran has no motivation to move in that direction,” he said, speaking to a packed auditorium that included some Israeli participants and Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, who helped negotiate the nuclear breakthrough. | |
| He also expressed Iran’s commitment to a broader nuclear agreement but, in what was taken as a veiled reference to Israeli suspicions, he cautioned that “a possible impediment may be a lack of serious will by the other party or parties or they might be influenced by others.” | |
| “We are ready,” he said. “Of course, this is a long and winding and difficult road. However, if we remain serious and keep the will, we can push through.” | |
| The conciliatory tone of Mr. Rouhani’s speech seemed to be designed to pursue an effort to win broad international acceptance for a nation that under his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was viewed by Western powers as dangerous, unpredictable and disruptive. | The conciliatory tone of Mr. Rouhani’s speech seemed to be designed to pursue an effort to win broad international acceptance for a nation that under his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was viewed by Western powers as dangerous, unpredictable and disruptive. |
| John Chipman, head of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Mr. Rouhani’s speech was in essence “an application to rejoin the international community.” | John Chipman, head of the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Mr. Rouhani’s speech was in essence “an application to rejoin the international community.” |
| “His buzz-terms were ‘prudent moderation’ and constructive engagement,'” said Mr. Chipman, who was in the audience. “He is saying: trust me as a leader.” | “His buzz-terms were ‘prudent moderation’ and constructive engagement,'” said Mr. Chipman, who was in the audience. “He is saying: trust me as a leader.” |
| But Israeli leaders attending the same event in Davos took exception to Mr. Rouhani’s comments, saying they represented a missed opportunity and were designed to trick world opinion. | But Israeli leaders attending the same event in Davos took exception to Mr. Rouhani’s comments, saying they represented a missed opportunity and were designed to trick world opinion. |
| “Rouhani is continuing with the Iranian show of deception,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in remarks relayed by his office in Jerusalem. | “Rouhani is continuing with the Iranian show of deception,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in remarks relayed by his office in Jerusalem. |
| “At a time when Rouhani talks about peace with the countries of the Middle East, he refuses – even today – to recognize the existence of the State of Israel, and his regime daily calls for the destruction of the State of Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu said. | “At a time when Rouhani talks about peace with the countries of the Middle East, he refuses – even today – to recognize the existence of the State of Israel, and his regime daily calls for the destruction of the State of Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu said. |
| “At a time when Rouhani claims that Iran is not interested in a nuclear project for military purposes, Iran continues to strengthen its centrifuges and heavy water reactor, and to arm itself with intercontinental missiles, the sole purpose of which is for nuclear weapons,” he added. | “At a time when Rouhani claims that Iran is not interested in a nuclear project for military purposes, Iran continues to strengthen its centrifuges and heavy water reactor, and to arm itself with intercontinental missiles, the sole purpose of which is for nuclear weapons,” he added. |
| At a news conference 45 minutes after Mr. Rouhani’s appearance, President Shimon Peres of Israel said Mr. Rouhani should have used his speech to endorse Middle East peace efforts and should have reinforced his words with pledges to halt missile development and arms supplies to Iran’s allies in the region. | At a news conference 45 minutes after Mr. Rouhani’s appearance, President Shimon Peres of Israel said Mr. Rouhani should have used his speech to endorse Middle East peace efforts and should have reinforced his words with pledges to halt missile development and arms supplies to Iran’s allies in the region. |
| “As far as Israel is concerned, we are ready to make peace with the Iranian people,” Mr. Peres said. “They have never been historically our enemies. We don’t look for any wars. We don’t look for any confrontation.Today was a great occasion but it was unfortunately missed.” | “As far as Israel is concerned, we are ready to make peace with the Iranian people,” Mr. Peres said. “They have never been historically our enemies. We don’t look for any wars. We don’t look for any confrontation.Today was a great occasion but it was unfortunately missed.” |
| Mr. Rouhani was elected as Iran’s president last year, offering a friendlier and more pragmatic vision of his country’s relationship with the West. Since then, Iran has reached an interim agreement with world powers on suspending nuclear enrichment in return for an easing of sanctions — a deal that began to take effect on Monday. | Mr. Rouhani was elected as Iran’s president last year, offering a friendlier and more pragmatic vision of his country’s relationship with the West. Since then, Iran has reached an interim agreement with world powers on suspending nuclear enrichment in return for an easing of sanctions — a deal that began to take effect on Monday. |
| On Sunday, in what appeared to be a diplomatic success for Tehran, Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, invited Iran to attend the Syria talks but withdrew the offer a day later after Iranian officials denied that they had agreed to preconditions for their attendance. | On Sunday, in what appeared to be a diplomatic success for Tehran, Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, invited Iran to attend the Syria talks but withdrew the offer a day later after Iranian officials denied that they had agreed to preconditions for their attendance. |
| Mr. Rouhani’s appearance at Davos was the first by an Iranian president since Mohammad Khatami spoke here in 2004. | Mr. Rouhani’s appearance at Davos was the first by an Iranian president since Mohammad Khatami spoke here in 2004. |
| Setting out what seemed to be ambitious goals for his country, whose economy has been battered by years of tightening international sanctions, Mr. Rouhani vowed to “overcome all economic and political impediments” to turning Iran into one of the top 10 economies in the world in the space of a decade.` | |
| In response to questions put by Klaus Schwab, the head of the World Economic Forum, Mr. Rouhani said Iran sought improved relations with “all the world” and with its neighbors. But he would not be drawn on whether that would include Israel, long seen as an archfoe that has in the past threatened to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Neither did he refer by name to Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main rival for influence in the oil-rich Persian Gulf and the broader region. | In response to questions put by Klaus Schwab, the head of the World Economic Forum, Mr. Rouhani said Iran sought improved relations with “all the world” and with its neighbors. But he would not be drawn on whether that would include Israel, long seen as an archfoe that has in the past threatened to take military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities. Neither did he refer by name to Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main rival for influence in the oil-rich Persian Gulf and the broader region. |
| While he denied that Iran sought a nuclear weapon, he again insisted on its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful uses such as electricity generation and the manufacture of medical isotopes under supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. | While he denied that Iran sought a nuclear weapon, he again insisted on its right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful uses such as electricity generation and the manufacture of medical isotopes under supervision by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. |
| “The Iranian people are not willing to give up their peaceful technology,” he said. | “The Iranian people are not willing to give up their peaceful technology,” he said. |
| On the Syrian crisis, Mr. Rouhani called the years of strife a “major catastrophe” in which “the people have borne the brunt. Millions of people have been killed or injured or made homeless.” | On the Syrian crisis, Mr. Rouhani called the years of strife a “major catastrophe” in which “the people have borne the brunt. Millions of people have been killed or injured or made homeless.” |
| Echoing the language used by President Assad, he also referred to the insurgents seeking to overthrow the Syrian government as “terrorists” and “ruthless killers.” | Echoing the language used by President Assad, he also referred to the insurgents seeking to overthrow the Syrian government as “terrorists” and “ruthless killers.” |
| “Iran believes that all of us should try to put a stop to the bloodshed,” he said. He was not asked to comment on assertions by the Syrian opposition that Tehran is playing a covert military role in support of Mr. Assad. | “Iran believes that all of us should try to put a stop to the bloodshed,” he said. He was not asked to comment on assertions by the Syrian opposition that Tehran is playing a covert military role in support of Mr. Assad. |
| “All of us should work to push terrorists out of Syria,” he said, warning those who support such adversaries “that the next stop will be their country for terrorists.” The Syrian opposition is supported by a broad array of Arab and Western countries, although some of those backers have shown alarm at the growing influence among the insurgents of jihadists linked to Al Qaeda. | “All of us should work to push terrorists out of Syria,” he said, warning those who support such adversaries “that the next stop will be their country for terrorists.” The Syrian opposition is supported by a broad array of Arab and Western countries, although some of those backers have shown alarm at the growing influence among the insurgents of jihadists linked to Al Qaeda. |
| Mr. Rouhani urged “free and fair elections” and, again echoing Mr. Assad’s arguments, said “no outside power” should seek to determine Syria’s future. | Mr. Rouhani urged “free and fair elections” and, again echoing Mr. Assad’s arguments, said “no outside power” should seek to determine Syria’s future. |