World: An Interview with Ghotbzadeh

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The Kremlin "wants us cornered and helpless

For all his harsh criticism of the U.S., Iran's highly visible Foreign Minister, Sadegh Ghotbzadeh, has actually been a moderating influence within his country's government. As new Prime Minister Mohammed Ali Raja 'i was busy choosing his Cabinet last week, Ghotbzadeh sent an extraordinary letter to the Majlis (parliament), warning that a trial of the 52 U.S. hostages "would be against the national interest, "and urging a speedy, negotiated resolution of the crisis. Since the Majlis is dominated by fundamentalist Muslims of the Islamic Republic Party, many of whom want to prosecute some of the hostages as spies, Ghotbzadeh's letter was both daring and provocative. One factor that allowed him to take such a stand is that he is a lame duck: he has pledged to step down as Foreign Minister once a Cabinet approved by parliament is named. In an interview for TIME with a Tehran-based journalist, Ghotbzadeh last week spoke with unusual candor about his suspicions of Soviet intentions, his skepticism about the prospects for Raja'i's government, and other matters. Excerpts:

Q. Did you volunteer to write the letter to the Majlis for the freedom of the hostages?

A. Nobody dared to break the ice. The Majlis wanted President Abolhassan Banisadr to write the letter. Already stung by his rivals, the President refused to comply. The buck went round again. The country matters more than a personal desire for vengeance. Thus I decided to shoulder the thankless task of resolving the hostage problem for them. I expressed my unqualified opposition to the idea of trying the U.S. hostages. Such trials, from any angle you look at them, are against our interest. Our main demand—the extradition of the criminal Shah to Iran —has become irrelevant. But obviously we cannot let the hostages go without first having the U.S. give us back what it has taken from us. There are many wrongs that have to be righted.

Q. What are you referring to? The Iranian money blocked in U.S. banks?

A. The $8.5 billion seized by the U.S. is ours. Its return to Iran needs no negotiation. Some U.S. companies have obtained court orders for freezing Iranian assets against debts which they claim we owe them. Such claims should be considered. If we really owe them money, we will pay it. By the same token, scores of U.S. companies have received fabulous sums for equipment and services they have not delivered. Furthermore, U.S. companies have sold us industrial plants that they must, according to their contractual obligations, supply with raw materials and spare parts. We don't want anything more than we are rightfully entitled to.

Q. Do you mean you have dropped your claim to the Shah's wealth?

A. Not at all. The wealth the Shah plundered from Iran is ours without any shadow of doubt. According to the laws in force under the Pahlavi regime, the royal family as well as the Shah had no right to engage in business. And all transactions they made were laced with payoffs, coercion and illegal influence games.

Q. You have said the U.S. should also compensate Iran for damages inflicted by the Pahlavi regime.