Yes and no.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Mousavi has a conservative record that dates back to the 80’s, when he was one of the first prime ministers after the 1979 Iran Revolution.
He was one of the early supporters of Iran’s nuclear program, and as prime minister he specifically approved Tehran’s purchases of centrifuge equipment from the nuclear black market run by the Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan, according to a 2007 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog.
Obama also recently acknowledged the lack of clear contrast between Mousavi and Ahmedinejad in a recent statement:
“Although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, the difference in actual policies between [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as advertised,” he said. “I think it’s important to understand that either way, we are going to be dealing with a regime in Iran that is hostile to the U.S.”
So, what’s the difference between the two, then? It may be their tone:
He pledged during the campaign his commitment to Iran’s nuclear power, but also held out the potential for direct talks with the U.S. Speaking to Time magazine on Friday, he said there are two elements to the nuclear question: “One is our right to nuclear energy, which is non-negotiable. The second issue is related to concerns about the diversion of this program towards weaponization. Personally, I view this second part, which is both technical and political, as negotiable.”
This is a much more clear and inviting stance than Ahmedinejad has ever taken. Iran has held the claim that they can have nuclear energy any way they want and with no outside help. The diversion of the program, which could mean Iran would follow certain restrictions when building up their program or that they would let an external player produce the energy for them, such as Russia has volunteered to do, would calm the nerves of many.
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Tags: ahmedinejad · foreign affairs · iran · mousavi · nuclearNo Comments
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