Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani

The important matter is freedom. When the people choose what they want, it is good for them and for us.

Condi Rice talks tough but she cannot be tough herself.

We don’t have any bad memories of the people of the United States.

Each department and institution has its own authorities and responsibilities, and they act on that basis. It is wrong to even compare such actions to what is done in Guantanamo or elsewhere by the Americans. They do not stand on a high moral platform to preach to others.

We do not trust the goodwill of the U.S. They have cut the ties.

The United States is a big country but unfortunately it seems it has the brain of a little bird not befitting the greatness of the country.

I’m not satisfied with the progress of the work, but I am happy that the talks are going on. It might have a negative effect if the United States joins.

We did not treat the Americans badly. They left Iran in a relaxed mood. The embassy was active here after the revolution. We didn’t have any problem with them. They started it.

When al-Qaeda was on the run from Afghanistan crossing through Iran, some were arrested and they are imprisoned. Some of them are charged with some actions in Iran.

When I talk about the assets, that was at the beginning of the talks. I was president then. I’m not president now. When I said it, this would be a sign of goodwill to begin the talks.

I believe the main solution is to gain the trust of Europe and America and to remove their concerns over the peaceful nature of our nuclear industry and to assure them that there will never be a diversion to military use.

And they said if we help with the crisis, they would do a lot of positive acts. After we helped in those crises, they showed negative acts and the Japanese and Turks were ashamed.

I think the elections have gone well, although there is so much insecurity in Iraq. So far during the counting of ballots, there has not been a significant complaint. We have to wait to see what the outcome of the counting is.

I think that Americans should gradually begin to adopt positive behavior rather than doing evil. They should not expect an immediate reaction in return for their positive measures. It will take time.

If we have any problems, it’s always with the government of the United States.

Both of them were the children of the United States. They sacrificed their children for the benefit of the others. But they were not very devoted children of the United States.

We have no problems with Jews and highly respect Judaism as a holy religion.

There is no doubt that America is a superpower of the world and we cannot ignore them.

The problem is that the Iraqi people are facing atrocities from both sides – Zarqawi and also the American troops at times. The Zarqawi groups uses car bombs, the Americans use other bombs. You also know what they do in the prisons.

We want all the Palestinians back in their homeland, and then there can be a fair referendum for people to choose the form of state they want. Whoever gets the majority can rule.

Goodwill can be indicated in various ways. I raised that particular example because at that time I was in charge. Today, I’m not in a position to present other possibilities.

And I gave this directive to them, that if they free our assets in the United States, that would be a sign of goodwill. I have the same idea this time.

We don’t have a major problem right now in our country, and life is normal. Things like unemployment, which the youth are suffering from, and the rate of inflation – these are chronic conditions and we have to solve them.

Miss Rice talks very tough. We have gotten used to this nonsense. Miss Rice is a bit emotional about this, and we predicted that she would have a more emotional approach to this.

I have no idea what the U.S. intends to do further there and what would be the reaction of the Iraqi people. I only know that the sole option is to leave Iraq to the Iraqi people.