The Hostages: How Long?

Ghotbzadeh says two months

While other revolutionary leaders in Iran reacted angrily to the news of the Shah's flight to Egypt last week, Foreign Minister Sadegh Ghotbzadeh expressed a certain measure of optimism about the crisis in an interview with TIME'S Raji Samghabadi. Excerpts:

Q. You have said that the ex-Shah's departure from Panama has made the quest for an early, peaceful settlement of the Iran-U.S. crisis extremely difficult. Does it mean you are giving up?

A. Not at all. I remain firmly convinced that the continuation of the crisis is not in the best interest of Iran. It prevents us from pursuing essential domestic and foreign policy goals. But the Americans have done it again. The criminal Shah's escape to Egypt undid a lot that we had achieved, especially in terms of persuading Iranians to fight a legal battle, rather than retain the U.S. hostages, for the extradition of the ex-dictator and retrieval of the fabulous wealth he has plundered. The Panamanian government, encouraged by Washington and prominent pro-Shah U.S. citizens, played games and lied to us all along. We are not back to Square One. But we have lost considerable ground because of the people's renewed distrust of international law.

Q. Do you think the ex-Shah's move has hurt you and President Abolhassan Banisadr politically?

A. It has not discredited us because I think most people agree with me that the ex-tyrant's escape from Panama in itself was an admission of guilt and proof of the strength of our case--that is, a net moral victory for Iran.

Q. Why was the U.N. investigative commission unable to see the hostages, and why did the Revolutionary Council fail to take custody of them?

A. I am afraid to say that the council was weak on this issue. I told my colleagues that in view of our vital need for stability and central government authority, the council's decision to take custody of the hostages must be enforced. They passed the buck to me and took cover themselves.

Q. Will you advise President Banisadr to call a referendum for the release of the hostages if the National Assembly temporizes?

A. There will certainly be no need for a referendum to end the hostage problem. It will be solved much sooner than your question implies. My policy on the hostages embodies an important principle accepted by a growing majority of Iranians: while we must sustain our revolutionary dedication, we cannot afford to bend to street frenzy any more. Frankly, a resolution of the hostage problem is imperative within two months. Despite vexing snags that we could do without, I expect the problem to be resolved in two months or so, shortly after the parliament meets.

Q. Will there be a freeze in relations with the U.S. after the hostage crisis is resolved?

A. We will not, or at least should not, initiate it. We are fiercely attached to our independence. But for us, independence does not mean walling ourselves in. What we want is a relationship based on mutual respect and equality in the real sense. We realize that the lack of relations with a superpower does not mean immunity from its interference.

Q. Do you think the Soviet Union seeks to aggravate the present conflict in Iran-U.S. relations?

A. I don't know whether Moscow is pursuing this goal in the hope of gaining whatever is lost by the U.S. If it does, it is tragically mistaken. No matter what the cost, we will never enter into such games.

Q. How do you assess your own political future? Will you be in President Banisadr's Cabinet?

A. No. I have decided to stay out of government for some time ... For 14 months I have been at the vortex of the whirlpool. In all modesty, I think, after the Imam I shouldered the greatest trouble. I haven't had time to take down, digest and analyze the myriad events I have witnessed and participated in. I would like to take a breath and make this appraisal before plunging back into politics.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.