Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi | 60 Minutes Archive
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United States first placed financial sanctions on Iran in 1979 during the hostage crisis. For nearly four decades, the US State Department has designated Iran one of the world's leading state sponsors of terrorism. The Obama administration along with five other countries agreed to billions of dollars in sanctions relief in exchange for Iran's agreement to dismantle much of its nuclear program and open its facilities to extensive international inspection. The Trump administration pulled out of the deal and stepped up economic pressure. Ebrahim Raisi was elected president a year ago amid this pressure. Last month, Iran and the 61-year-old hardliner were on the verge of striking a new deal, but Iran submitted demands that sent the nuclear talks into a stalemate.
Leslie Stahl met President Raisi at the presidential compound in Tehran for his first interview with a western reporter. Instructions included how to dress, not to sit before he did, and not to interrupt. Given one hour.
Can we start with the negotiations on the nuclear deal? Do you want to have that deal renewed? Because you know there are some American officials who are beginning to think that you don't. If it's a good deal and fair deal, we would be serious about reaching an agreement. It needs to be lasting. There needs to be guarantees. If there were a guarantee, then the Americans could not withdraw from the deal.
But you can pull out of the deal. I mean, just as well as we could pull out of the deal. You see, the Americans broke their promises. They did it unilaterally. They said that I am out of the deal now. Making promises is becoming meaningless.
Are you saying that you cannot trust the Americans? We cannot trust the Americans because of the behavior that we've already seen from them. That is why if there is no guarantee, there is no trust.
US says the West can't trust Iran when it claims its nuclear program is purely for peaceful purposes. Only 1.8% of Iran's electricity is generated by nuclear power according to IAEA. Evidence suggests Iran worked toward a bomb before and might again.
We have responded to these claims several times. They are baseless. The Islamic Republic of Iran has said many times that possessing nuclear weapons has no place in our doctrine.
US intelligence community assessed with high confidence that Iran attempted to develop a nuclear bomb in the past.
If there is a deal, would you agree to release the four Americans who are being held here? Could that be part of it? There are Iranian nationals also imprisoned inside the US. These people are only in there because they simply tried to circumvent sanctions. And the Americans, we have told them that we can talk to them about this. It can be conducted separately from the nuclear talks. It can be done between the two countries. It is a humanitarian issue. This can be negotiated.
You're off to New York. You're going to speak at the United Nations. You know, President Biden is going to be there. Are you open to a meeting with President Biden? A face to face? No, I don't think that such a meeting would happen. I don't believe having a meeting or talk with him will be beneficial.
What do you think the difference is from your perspective between the Trump administration and the Biden administration? They claim that they are different from the Trump administration. They have said it in their messages to us, but we haven't witnessed any changes in reality.
Major grievance against President Biden is maintaining Trump-imposed sanctions.
The sanctions are very tyrannical. This is a tyranny against the people of Iran. It is important to us to have the sanctions lifted.
Sanctions thrust Iran into a 2-year recession. Oil exports fell from 2.8 million barrels a day to 200,000. Businesses cut off from international banking. Inflation over 40%. Traffic clogged, bazaars teeming with shoppers who were friendly.
One reason for bustling commerce is the resistance economy where businesses make more domestically instead of importing. Examples: blue jeans, washing machines, refrigerators, TVs made in Iran. Own version of Uber Eats called Snapp Food.
Iran home to one of world's oldest civilizations dating to 4,000 BC, foundations of algebra and chemistry. Most westernized country in Middle East with well-educated population. Mall with ice skating rink, food court with hot dogs and burgers, sexy window displays. President Raisi signed decree making women who don't dress modestly subject to arrest. Young woman died after morality police took her into custody for violating head covering rules; eyewitnesses say beaten in police van. President's office ordered investigation.
Ebrahim Raisi descends from prophet Muhammad as signified by black turban. Shiite tradition, hardline conservative cleric like mentor Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
I want to ask you about your own record. There is a personal sanction against you. You took part in a commission responsible for executing up to 5,000 political dissidents. They were hanged or shot by firing squad. Do you regret that action? What kind of proof can you offer for this? These are just allegations and claims made by members of a terrorist group. Anybody who commits a crime in Iran stands trial in official courts of law and they receive punishments for what they did. They were assassinating people and what happened to them was exactly proportionate to what they did.
US Treasury Department sanctioned Raisi personally for human rights violations. Amnesty International called it a crime against humanity.
President feisty, antipathy toward Israel and Jewish people. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei tweeted in 2018: Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor that has to be removed and eradicated.
Do you believe the Holocaust happened that 6 million Jews were slaughtered? Historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched. So, you're not sure?
What about Israel's right to exist? You see, the people of Palestine are the reality. This is the right of the people of Palestine who are forced to leave their houses in motherland. The Americans are supporting this false regime there to take root and be established there.
Morocco, Bahrain, Sudan, United Arab Emirates recognized Israel and have relations. Saudi Arabia talking directly with Israel.
If a state shakes hands with the Zionist regime, then they are also an accomplice to their crimes and they are stabbing the very idea of Palestine in the back.
Vowed revenge on US for killing General Qasem Soleimani over two years ago in drone strike. Revered hero in Iran, masterminded deadly attacks on American forces. Supreme Leader called for retaliation.
Are you intending to retaliate by assassinating officials from the Trump administration? What the then American government did by the direct order of Trump himself to assassinate Mr. Qasem Soleimani. This was a heinous crime. We want justice to be served. We are not going to forget about this.
I'm wondering what you mean by justice. Does it mean an eye for an eye? That's the type of the actions that the Americans and Zionist regimes are doing in the world. We are not going to carry out the same actions.
US Department of Justice charged member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard with plotting to assassinate John Bolton, Trump's former national security adviser.
As preparing for UN trip, defiant: no concessions in nuclear deal. Iran will not back down, can survive sanctions which could backfire on US.
Yes, they can create restrictions and problems for us and difficulties. But there's a number of countries that are being sanctioned. By doing this, they are bringing them closer together, making them more united. And this will render American sanctions ineffective. Chinese, Russians, Iranians getting closer. This approach won't work.
At end of cordial conversation, staff member blocked cameraman from shooting goodbyes. Another cameraman's phone confiscated and held by security for two and a half hours.
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