Irvani: We are coordinating and consulting with other resistance groups in the region

Mr. Irvani: Yes. The ceasefire in Gaza must be permanent, sustainable and comprehensive. Also, the aggression and genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza must be stopped. After that, humanitarian aid should be sent to Gaza, then the exchange of prisoners as well as the reconstruction of Gaza will be among the next steps.

Lester Holt: Most of the discussions are about the level of control or influence that the Iranian government has over these groups, namely the Houthis and other groups. If you pick up the phone, can you end the attacks?

Mr. Irvani: To better understand this, we can He compared Iran and the resistance groups in the region with NATO. In NATO, there is Article 5. If one NATO member faces military aggression, the other can choose to respond individually or collectively. Our relationship with the resistance groups can also be examined in this framework. Is there a defense?

Mr. Irvani: Yes, this is a kind of defense agreement between the resistance groups and Iran. They have their own decisions, choices, interests, and interests, but they generally coordinate and cooperate with each other. When a part of the resistance axis is damaged and faces the aggression of the Israeli regime, other parts of the resistance axis will have their own reaction to express sympathy and support for the Palestinian people. Therefore, it has nothing to do with our phone call with the Houthis to stop their actions. In fact, they consider themselves responsible for defending their brothers and sisters in Gaza.

Lester Holt: Your support for How far do these groups go? Are you arming them?

Mr. Irvani: We have clearly said about the Palestinian resistance groups that they We send weapons, train and take steps to empower them. But we coordinate, cooperate and consult with other resistance groups in the region, and sometimes we also give them financial aid.

Lester Holt: Complex weapons have been used in Houthi attacks against commercial ships. Does Iran supply these weapons?

Mr. Irvani: No, never.

Lester Holt: Has Iran taught them how to use such weapons?

Mr. Irvani: This issue [is completely internal to Yemen] is up to them. They have their own weapons. We must not forget that they have been at war for eight years; They have a lot of experience, they can overcome their shortcomings, they are self-reliant, and they have acquired the power of deterrence.

Lester Holt: > Would Iran prefer that Houthi attacks against commercial ships and threats against US Navy ships stop?

Mr. Irvani: Yes, we encourage everyone to stop this situation. We don’t want a crisis in the region.

Lester Holt: So, you encourage them to stop their actions.

Mr. Irvani: We encourage them to stop. But I have already said that this is a two-way street. One side cannot do this alone, the other side also has responsibilities. We encourage them to stop and we expect the other side to encourage the Israelis to stop.

Lester Holt: Let’s talk about America’s position. Joe Biden believes that Iran was indirectly involved in the Jordanian attack that killed three American soldiers and injured many others. The United States has not targeted Iran militarily, but some believe the door is open for such action. If Washington directly or indirectly attacks Iran or your interests, how would Tehran react?

Mr. Irvani: Our argument is similar to America. You may ask how? The United States has announced that it will arm the Israelis for war. America has announced that it will provide what the Israelis need for the war. America does not shy away from publicly announcing such a problem. Our reasoning is the same. We help them defend against the invaders. This is the argument. We are not directly or indirectly involved. We have no control over any resistance group. They make their own decisions, and figure out what’s in their best interest.

Lester Holt: > Let us return to the US action against Iran. If America attacks Iran or Iran’s interests, how do you predict Iran’s reaction? will react. We have already made it clear that if they attack Iranian soil or Iranian interests or people around the world, we will react and fully defend. We will respond decisively to any aggression.

Lester Holt: Do you think the risk of war is increasing? ?

Mr. Irvani: Yes.

Lester Holt: Please explain how the situation is leading to war.

Mr. Irvani: Let me tell you a story: some people saw a person fall into the river. They went and saved that person. After a few minutes, they saw another person thrown into the river. They also saved him. They saw that this happened again and again. They asked what is the main cause of this incident? They saw a madman standing on the bridge and throwing everyone who crossed the bridge into the river. They caught the madman and the conflict and problem was solved. In this case too, if we want to solve the problem, we must control the crazy. After that, we can expect the conflict in other parts of the region to end. The Houthis have been engaged in war for 8 years. They have never posed a threat to the Red Sea. What we are witnessing now is only in response to the aggression of the Israeli regime against the people of Gaza and the genocidal crimes against the Palestinians. There are terrible statistics in Gaza: hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and wounded, thousands of people have been left under the rubble, tens of thousands of houses have been destroyed, and there is complete famine. Therefore, this will be the natural reaction of people, not only Muslims, not only resistance groups, but every awakened conscience in the world. They have their own reactions. You must have seen many people in the United States who are not Muslim and even Jewish, who have reacted and protested against the actions of Israel and the policies of the United States to support the Israelis.

Lester Holt: What does this have to do with targeting and attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea?

Mr. Irwani: The Houthis say they target Israeli ships and any ship that transports goods to or from the Israeli regime. So, the goal is very clear. It is against the Israeli regime.

Lester Holt: So do you support their action?

Mr. Irvani: Yes, we support. Because the other side has besieged Gaza. As long as they don’t allow fuel and goods to be sent to the people of Gaza, why should they be free to transfer goods, fuel and weapons to the Israelis?

Lester Holt: Are you saying you approve of the Houthis targeting merchant ships?!

Mr. Irvani : against Israeli ships; Yes, not others.

Lester Holt: It is strange that your government has issued a warning in the last few days. against the United States for targeting or sinking an Iranian-flagged vessel. According to our tracking, this ship was present in those areas around the same time as the attacks against merchant ships in the Red Sea. Is this an intelligence ship or a spy ship that transmits information to the Houthis for an attack?

Mr. Irvani: No. Our vessels are support vessels in the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. They support our ships in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, where they fight piracy. We have not provided any information to the Houthis in this regard.

Lester Holt: I am curious as to why the attack on This particular ship warned you. Is this ship worth more?

Mr. Irvani: The duty of this ship is only to protect Iranian goods in the Red Sea and It’s Mediterranean.

Lester Holt: You talked about the connection with what’s going on in Gaza. In your opinion, was the October 7 attack by Hamas wise from a military point of view?

Mr. Irvani:We cannot Let’s start reading from its middle pages. This story did not start on October 7, but goes back to 75 years of humiliation, occupation, and violation of Palestinian rights. The Israelis have deprived the Palestinians of their natural rights. So sometimes such a reaction by people is normal.

Lester Holt: The October 7 attack happened with or without Iran’s encouragement. That?

Mr. Irvani: We have not participated in this decision. It was a Palestinian decision implemented by the Palestinians. We have neither given an order nor played a role in this matter. We support some of their actions to protect their rights, push back the invaders, evacuate and liberate their lands. Yes, we support such goals.

Lester Holt: Back to the question of whether Iran is arming Hamas. Has it done?

Mr. Irvani: Not for specific operations. We armed all Palestinians, not just Hamas. Our leader has made it clear that anyone who wants to stand up to the Israeli occupation can count on our support.

Lester Holt: If the US could convince Iran to end its military actions in Gaza, how quickly do you think things could change elsewhere in terms of attacks on Americans and commercial shipping?

Mr. Irvani: Most of these conflicts started after the Israeli regime’s offensive against Gaza on October 7. If they stop this and treat the root cause of this crisis, we can expect a solution to other conflicts in the region.

Lester Holt: As you know, Qatar and Egypt have been involved in some negotiations for a ceasefire. Do you think there is an acceptable solution that would lead to the release of the hostages?

Mr. Irvani: I think so. . But we do not know the details of the negotiations in Cairo and Doha. But we think that Hamas is ready for exchange. Of course, they have their own conditions. After October 7, more than five or six thousand Palestinians were arrested in Gaza and the West Bank. The number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons is more than 10,000. So they expect the release of their prisoners. We cannot expect only the prisoners to be released. Sometimes we hear that some children have been killed in this conflict. It is sad and heartbreaking for all of us. But on the other hand, we all know that more than ten thousand Palestinian children have been killed by the Israelis. We should sympathize with them too.

Lester Holt: Can you explain your government’s view on normalization? Tell me about the relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel?

Mr. Irvani: I think this will not be possible in the near future. We have heard that one of their conditions is the establishment of an independent country called Palestine. I think the current cabinet of the Israeli regime cannot imagine an independent state for the Palestinians.

Lester Holt: Let your comments Let’s hear how much you think Iran benefits from instability. The United States is currently engaged in counter-attacks against shipping as well as diplomatic efforts. Does your country benefit from instability?

Mr. Irvani: Not at all. Our interest is not in instability, but in the stability and security of the region. We also believe that the responsibility of stability and security in the region will be on the shoulders of the countries of the region, not those who come from far away.

Lester Holt: This is a big question: What does Iran want from the United States?

Mr. Irvani: After the revolution and during the last 45 years, you have had eight US presidents, half of whom were Democrats, and the rest were Republicans. Only during the Obama era, he recognized Iran and used the full title of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He emphasized on mutual respect and benefit, sent a respectful letter to the Supreme Leader, and received a written reply once. We do not want to have any tension with America. Maybe even define common goals. In Iraq and Afghanistan, at the time of the collapse of the Saddam regime and the Taliban rule in 2001, at that time the goal was the same, but the strategies were different. We insisted on strengthening the resistance groups in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they chose a military invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. There was a common goal between America and Iran, but the strategy was different.

Lester Holt: Some have pointed out that the language of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been softened in response to the threat of war or a direct attack by the United States. It seems that the Iranian language has become softer than what we may have heard in the past. Has Iran’s view of America and the potential for war changed?

Mr. Irvani: The language of threats against Iran will not work. . Only the language of cooperation and respect with Iran will answer. If you think that Iran is afraid of threats, you are completely wrong. Iran was involved in war for 8 years. We are not afraid of war, but we will never welcome it. We will not start any war against any country, but we are ready to defend our security and interests. So we don’t welcome war, but if the other side starts, you will see Iran’s readiness.

Lester Holt: > Many think that the US has sent a very strong message to Iran with its retaliatory strikes over the past few days. You must be aware of not only the cruise missiles, but also the long-range bombers that have taken off from the United States and are coming to the Middle East. America’s message to Iran is: be careful of our capabilities. Do you have such a similar conclusion from this message?

Mr. Irvani: No. The so-called strong message to Iran will not work. I have already told you that we have been at war. We are not afraid of any threat. Cooperation and solidarity in Iranian societies will increase after any external threat.

Lester Holt: Just one more question. : We often hear the term “proxy” groups that attack on behalf of Iran. How do you see these groups? Do you see them as representatives who take steps in line with your wishes? It is public opinion. They are not proxies, they are resistance groups. Their rights are recognized according to international law. Resistance groups have the right to self-determination and resistance against the occupying regimes. Therefore, they are not our so-called proxy groups.

Lester Holt: But are they supported and somewhat guided by Tehran? Can’t they?

Mr. Irvani: No. I repeat again that we do not direct or guide them. We have joint consultations with each other. Our relationship with resistance groups is like NATO members. They consult each other, but the reaction of each member is not the same as the other. During our fight against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the Palestinian resistance groups did not intervene, why? Because this issue was not their priority. We recognized such a decision. It was their decision. But other parts of the resistance axis joined the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Therefore, they have their own priorities and interests. They interact and cooperate well with each other.

Lester Holt: But Iran has the influence that they to lead Are you having discussions with any of these groups? And you have Iran’s influence on them. No, we have no influence on them. We have common goals and understanding. I don’t use the word influence. We consult with each other. We discuss what the situation is in the region and what we need to do together.

Lester Holt:

Lester Holt: Are there secret communications between Tehran and Washington that are actively going on? There have been channels, whether through the U.S. Protection Section at the Swiss Embassy in Tehran or through intermediary countries and individuals. There have always been channels for exchanging messages.

Lester Holt: Are messages more important than ever at this point in time? Is it another time?

Mr. Irvani: We have had conversations in the past. According to our religious teachings, a wise person should not be bitten twice by the same hole. This means that if you have an unsuccessful experience interacting with a party, you will not be able to engage with that party again on the same issue. We have had conversations in the past. We have had many conversations under the current administration of the United States. We reached a framework of understanding for the release of prisoners, our assets illegally frozen by the United States in South Korea, and how to restore the JCPOA. We concluded all those discussions and implemented them. But unfortunately, the United States refused to fulfill its responsibilities in some areas. Therefore, it is difficult to resume the failed talks.

Lester Holt: Mr. Ambassador, during our conversation, I learned that the Prime Minister of Qatar is negotiating with Anthony Blinken. It is said that they have received an answer from Hamas regarding a possible agreement. How do you see the fact that a deal may be done soon?

Mr. Irvani: I think that if If Hamas accepts the conditions, there is a possibility of a ceasefire.

Lester Holt: Permanent ceasefire?

Mr. Irvani: Permanent or long-term ceasefire. Of course, the problem is not solved with a ceasefire, neither is the achievement of peace. But the ceasefire will solve the current crisis and improve the dire situation in Gaza. I imagine that in the medium term, we can have a stable ceasefire between Hamas and the other side.

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