Iranian Presidential Candidate Mohsen Rezai: I Will Use Women To Run the Country and Face Off a Courageous Woman with Condoleezza Rice

The following are excerpts from an interview with Mohsen Rezai, an Iranian presidential candidate and the former commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, which aired on Channel 1, Iranian TV on June 5, 2005

Rezai: Our problem with America is that the Americans are afraid to have relations with us. I don't accept the claim that the American are sitting day and night and waiting for Iran to say "yes." That's not the case. I think that if a strong president emerges in America, one who will make Iran proposals that befit the Iranian people, many things will change. But as long as the Americans are hostile, we will obviously stand our ground - even if the regime doesn't, the people certainly will. If I become president, and something bad happens to this country, I will once again don my battle gear and fight on the people's front.

If the Americans will treat us reasonably, we will welcome it, but right now, they are saying unrealistic things.

Host: How should we proceed with our nuclear activity? How should we deal with the pressure by the West and by those who don't want it to continue?

Rezai: I will continue the policy of this regime. What does this mean? It means continuing talks with the Europeans and with IAEA officials, and continuing diplomatic activity. This is what I will do. But I will totally change the diplomacy. We will renew the enrichment and activate all the facilities – the (UCF) facility in Esfahan and the (heavy water) facility in Arak under U.N. and IAEA supervision, and subject to the NPT and international regulations. This requires some courage, and I think it will happen. I promise you and the Iranian people that five to six months after the implementation of this policy, many of our issues with Europe and America will be resolved. You'll see.

Rezai (Channel 2, Iranian TV, June 6, 2005: We will use women to run the country. Our women are worthy of being ministers. If necessary, we will take one of our courageous women, who is also an expert on foreign policy and face her off with Ms. Rice, to prove what extraordinary human abilities we have in this country.