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Disarmament DocumentationBack to Disarmament Documentation Boucher on Iran and Israel, October 14'State Department Noon Briefing,' Briefer: Richard Boucher, Spokesman, October 14, 2003 QUESTION: Richard, do you have any comment on the report based from an Iranian opposition group, also part of a Foreign Terrorist Organization, according to the State Department, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, which talks about Iran having yet another nuclear facility? MR. BOUCHER: Well, we've seen the press accounts. I think they've said they would reveal shortly some details about another undisclosed Iranian nuclear facility. What's clear, I think, to all of us, based on the reports the International Atomic Energy Agency has already prepared, is that Iraq has not fully disclosed -- QUESTION: Iraq? MR. BOUCHER: -- Iran has not fully disclosed its nuclear programs. The IAEA is asking them to do so. We think the Agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, should take into account all information from all sources and look at it carefully as they proceed with their inspections. They have continued to carry out rigorous inspections of Iran's nuclear activities, and so we look forward to seeing their reporting once they have been able to complete that task, in accordance with the resolution that the Board of Governors passed... QUESTION: On Iran, I imagine you'd be quite interested in what the Mujaheddin have, or claim to have, on the nuclear facility. Have you asked them for a preview of their -- MR. BOUCHER: We do not have any contact with the National Council for Resistance because they are a front organization for the MEK. QUESTION: But even if they have important information, you would not -- MR. BOUCHER: They said they intended to make it public. We think that all information needs to be considered by the IAEA. But as far as we're concerned, they're a terrorist organization and we don't have any contact with them. Okay. QUESTION: Do you think that Israel has the right to strike against Iran nuclear facilities as self-defense? MR. BOUCHER: That's such a vague and hypothetical question, I don't -- no way I can deal with it. Elise. QUESTION: There are some reports citing U.S. intelligence that this Al Quds Force, or also called the Jerusalem Force, is part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, may be the ones sheltering these al-Qaida members, including one of Usama bin Laden's sons. Is there -- what is the U.S. trying to do to secure, through the Iranians, access to these people? Can you say anything about this Jerusalem Force? MR. BOUCHER: No. As far as what we're doing, I think we've made very consistently clear, especially since the May 12th bombing in Saudi Arabia, that the continued presence in Iran of senior officials of terrorist organizations, including al-Qaida, was a significant cause of concern for us as well as for other people in the region, and that they should cooperate with countries that are conducting investigations of al-Qaida's activities, including the May 12th bombing. QUESTION: Do you believe that Usama bin Laden's son is one the al-Qaida leaders that -- MR. BOUCHER: I wouldn't be able to comment on that. Sorry. Teri. QUESTION: On that, do you believe that President Khatami is not in control of some of these, these possible forces, like -- like just mentioned, Jerusalem Force? Do you not hold him responsible for their actions? MR. BOUCHER: I have no way of speculating on internal Iranian politics, but obviously the Government of Iran is responsible for what happens in Iran... QUESTION: Richard, on a related matter. A report over the weekend that the Israelis are installing nuclear warheads, nuclear missiles on submarines. Do you know anything about that, and what would you think of such a development? Would that fall under your proliferation regime? MR. BOUCHER: I don't have anything for you on that. QUESTION: Could you look into it? MR. BOUCHER: No, it's not the kind of subject we readily share information on, I'm sorry. QUESTION: Well, don't you talk about all kinds of WMD deployments and proliferation all time? MR. BOUCHER: I'm sorry, what we may or may not know about this would not be something that I could say. QUESTION: And similarly, Prime Minister Sharon says he believes that Libya is trying to develop nuclear weapons? Now, you haven't quite said that. Has anything changed? MR. BOUCHER: Prime Minister Sharon said what? QUESTION: That Libya is working on nuclear weapons? MR. BOUCHER: I don't have anything new on Libya. I'd refer you back to what we've said repeatedly about nuclear -- about Libya's attempts to develop weapons of mass destruction... Source: US State Department, Washington File, http://usinfo.state.gov. © 2003 The Acronym Institute. |