STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The United States is preparing for another round of talks with Iran. The U.S. has also positioned what President Trump has called an armada in the region, while Iran warns of an unpredictable response to any attack. We have placed a call to Tehran and reached Majid Takht-Ravanchi, who is Iran's vice foreign minister. He lived in New York when he was Iran's U.N. ambassador, so he knows something about the United States. He is also now the number two figure on the Iranian negotiating team, which is heading to Geneva, Switzerland. Vice Minister, welcome to the program.
MAJID TAKHT-RAVANCHI: Good morning, Steve.
INSKEEP: Do you expect to be face-to-face in a room with the Americans?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: You know, usually we start with indirect talks through the foreign minister of Oman.
INSKEEP: Right.
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: Last time in Geneva, we had the opportunity to shake hands, and that was a few minutes of direct encounter.
INSKEEP: I see. I'm glad you mentioned the foreign minister of Oman. He says there's going to be a meeting this Thursday to, quote, "go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal," which makes it sound as if you may be close to an agreement. Are you close to an agreement?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: You know, we are ready to reach an agreement as soon as possible. We want to do whatever's necessary to make it happen. We will enter the negotiating room in Geneva with all sincerity and with goodwill. We hope that that goodwill and that good approach will be reciprocated by the Americans. And if there is a political will on all sides, I believe the deal can be reached as soon as possible.
INSKEEP: It was reported that Iran was revising a proposal to present to the United States for this meeting. Does that proposal concern anything beyond Iran's nuclear program?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: No, the subject of negotiations is the nuclear issue, and this is agreed by all sides.
INSKEEP: And I want to just clarify for people who don't follow this every day, you're saying that there is not discussion of Iran's missiles, for example, or other assets that you may have?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: As I said, the sole subject for discussions in upcoming Geneva meeting is the nuclear issue.
INSKEEP: OK. Vice Minister, I want to ask about the aftermath of Iran's protests in January. One of our correspondents interviewed a person who said that security forces in Iran had been searching for protesters in schools, trying to track down people who protested in January. She agreed to speak on the condition that we withhold her name and distort her voice, but I want to play you just a little bit of her voice through an interpreter. Let's listen.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Through interpreter) We've been told female inspectors will soon visit our school. They're going to check our bodies for pellet wounds or scars from the protests. They're also going to confiscate our phones to look through our Instagram accounts and our camera rolls for any political content.
INSKEEP: Is that accurate? Are security forces still searching for people who protested?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: No, not at all. I mean, all these lies are being, you know, raised in order to agitate the situation. I mean, how can you, you know, justify this? I mean, how can you prove that this is a correct version of the current events in Tehran (ph)? And, you know, people can, you know, use different methods to create, you know, such voices. So I can tell you that the schools are open. The people send their kids to schools, and nothing of that nature has been happening in Iran.
INSKEEP: OK. I can assure you that we believe in the authenticity of that voice that our correspondent - the person that our correspondent spoke with. But I want to ask about another thing here. The United States, as you know very well, has positioned a great many military forces in the region of Iran. There has been talk of a limited U.S. attack to force your country to negotiate differently - that being one of the president's options. How would Iran respond to a limited attack?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: You know, we hope that we will not face that situation because you cannot contain a war which is going to be started. How can one start - I mean end the war with just one strike? So that is a real gamble, in our judgment. We hope that, you know, that will not be the case. But at any rate, if there is an attack, an aggression against Iran, we will respond, you know, in accordance with our defensive, you know, planning. Therefore, everybody should be aware that, you know, a war can be started, but to end that war, it is not easy to suggest. And by the way, the whole region will suffer as a result of an aggression against Iran.
INSKEEP: Let me make sure I understand what you're saying there. Are you saying that Iran would be prepared to attack its neighbors - United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia - countries with oil facilities that didn't necessarily attack Iran, but you might strike them, too?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: No, no, no. We have best of relations with our neighbors and we are in good terms with all of them.
INSKEEP: What do you mean by the whole region will suffer?
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: I mean, if the U.S. attacks Iran, how can, you know, anybody expect Iran to be silent? We have to respond to U.S. assets in the region. But our definite preference is to go along the line of peace. That is why the next Geneva meeting is very important. Why should we waste our time on something that will be detrimental to the whole region and to everybody? Let's concentrate on diplomacy, which will prove, you know, good for everybody. There is no military solution for Iranian nuclear, you know, dossier. Therefore, instead of warmongering, instead of sending, you know, troops, sending, you know, armada to our region, it is better to concentrate on diplomacy. What is the purpose of sending troops, sending armada to our region? Does it mean that they wanted to intimidate Iran? That is not going to happen. Iranians have proved to be resilient. Therefore, it is better to concentrate on the real job, and that is diplomacy.
INSKEEP: Majid Takht-Ravanchi is Iran's vice foreign minister and will be participating in talks with the United States in Geneva this week. Thanks very much. It's good talking with you.
TAKHT-RAVANCHI: Thank you very much, sir.
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