Interview with Democratic Representative on Nuclear Negotiations and American Prisoners in Iran

In Washington, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives states that the government and people of the United States are united in the necessity of freeing Amir Hekmati and other American citizens imprisoned in Iran. Dan Kildee, a congressman from Chicago who is preparing to present a proposal for the release of American prisoners in Iran, expressed hope in an exclusive interview with Radio Farda that the Iranian government will never pursue the production of nuclear weapons. He stated that otherwise, in addition to global military action, the toughest and most inflexible sanctions will be imposed against the Iranian government. Mr. Kildee explained the purpose of his proposal to Congress regarding the effort to free American prisoners in Iran: 'This resolution that I presented a few weeks ago has currently been signed by over one hundred and twenty members of Congress. The goal is to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to act in unison regarding Americans who have been imprisoned by the Iranian government and to make it clear to the Iranian government and people that Congress is united and unified on this issue.' However, the Iranian government has leveled serious accusations against Amir Hekmati and Jason Rezaian, such as espionage. 'Yes, but I have seen no evidence for these accusations. For example, in Amir Hekmati's case, the initial charge and conviction for espionage were eventually dismissed, and now he is accused of collaborating with an adversarial government. Amir is a young man who went to Iran to see his family, and I believe that his service in the U.S. military has been problematic from the Iranian government's perspective, as they still consider him an Iranian citizen, regardless of being born and raised in America. Amir traveled under his real name and informed Iranian officials before his trip. Therefore, there is no evidence contradicting his statements and actions. Amir went to Iran to learn about his family roots and to see a grandmother he had never met.' Regarding the freedom of Amir Hekmati and two other American citizens as part of ongoing talks between the U.S. and Iran, he stated, 'I do not wish for the freedom of these Americans to be exchanged for any conditions in nuclear talks with Iran. The 1+5 talks should really be limited to the Iranian government's nuclear program. Of course, I understand that many Americans and even some members of Congress have raised the question of including the freedom of American citizens; but when you look closely, you see that the freedom of these individuals becomes conditional on stipulations in the nuclear agreement. Although I have not yet spoken to Amir Hekmati about this, I know that he does not want his freedom to be subject to any kind of deal. Personally, I do not accept such a condition, and I know that the Hekmati family does not accept it either.' On another topic, Mr. Kildee was asked about his position on the nuclear agreement with Iran. 'I agree with the framework of the agreement. Of course, until all matters are agreed upon, there will be no agreement, but I support the diplomatic efforts of the Obama administration to resolve the existing issue with Iran. I believe that the principle of negotiation should be given a chance, but the details are also very important, such as Iran's nuclear capabilities and our ability to conduct inspections and continuous verification of what has been agreed upon. No agreement can rely on mutual trust, especially with the Iranian government with which the U.S. has no diplomatic relations.' However, most of your colleagues in the House of Representatives, as well as in the Senate, do not share your optimism. They say they do not trust the Iranian government. On the one hand, the Iranian government claims it is not seeking a nuclear bomb. What do you think? 'It is very difficult to imagine what the Iranians think. Many Americans believe that there is only one position in Iran on these issues; this is not the case. Just as there is no single view in America regarding Iran. I am sure that there are hardliners in Iran who are seeking to weaponize the country's nuclear capabilities, as well as those who are only looking for peaceful use of nuclear energy. The main question for us is how we can reach an agreement that reduces the likelihood of militarization of Iran's nuclear program and extends the timeline for action to produce nuclear weapons. Therefore, we are not seeking to understand the current leaders' thinking in Iran because leadership can change, just as this change can occur in America or anywhere else in the world.' Nevertheless, despite the reassurances from Mr. Obama, Mr. Kerry, and other officials, your colleagues [in Congress] say that sooner or later the Iranian government will acquire a nuclear bomb. 'I hope that does not happen. If we have a role in this, we must stop it. The real question is if a potential agreement reduces the Iranian government's ability to produce nuclear weapons, it would be a good agreement. If failing to reach an agreement increases the likelihood that the Iranian government believes it will benefit its interests by increasing its power and demonstrating that it can build nuclear weapons, all efforts to persuade them will be lost, and the situation will reach a point where the option of negotiation will have no meaning. Iran is now a country that has at times jeopardized global security. Therefore, if we miss the opportunity to engage in dialogue to persuade the Iranian government and even compel it to join the global community, it would be a mistake. And the bottom line is that if the Iranian government moves towards producing nuclear weapons, the U.S. must take action. A global military action. A bill for tough and inflexible sanctions will also be rapidly passed in the House of Representatives and the Senate against Iran. These were economic sanctions that forced Iran to sit at the negotiating table, and if Iran reverts to its past behavior, it must be isolated again.