00:13The President was very clear last night that he always prefers diplomacy, but I want you
00:18to understand and everyone should know that Iran poses a very great threat to the United
00:22States and has for a very long time.
00:23They are in possession, first and foremost, after their nuclear program was obliterated,
00:28they were told not to try to restart it, and here they are, you can see them always trying
00:32to rebuild elements of it.
00:34They're not enriching right now, but they're trying to get to the point where they ultimately
00:37can.
00:37The other thing I would point you to, however, is that Iran possesses a very large number
00:43of ballistic missiles, particularly short-range ballistic missiles that threaten the United
00:48States and our bases in the region and our partners in the region, and all of our bases
00:53in the UAE and Qatar and Bahrain.
00:57And they also possess naval assets that threaten shipping and try to threaten the U.S. Navy.
01:03So I want everybody to understand that beyond just a nuclear program, they possess these conventional
01:08weapons that are solely designed to attack America and attack Americans if they so choose
01:14to do so.
01:15These things have to be addressed.
01:17The negotiations tomorrow and the talks tomorrow will be largely focused on the nuclear program,
01:22and we hope progress can be made, because that's the President's preference, to make
01:25progress on the diplomatic front.
01:27But it's also important to remember that Iran refuses, refuses to talk about the ballistic
01:33missiles to us or to anyone, and that's a big problem.
01:36Well, I won't speculate as to how far away they are, but they are certainly trying to achieve,
01:41and this is not new, they are trying to achieve intercontinental ballistic missiles.
01:44For example, you've seen them try to launch satellites into space, you've seen them increasing
01:50the range of the missiles they have now, and clearly they are headed in the pathway to one
01:54day being able to develop weapons that could reach the continental U.S.
01:57They already possess weapons that could reach much of Europe, already now, as we speak.
02:02I don't think diplomacy is ever off the table.
02:04The President wants diplomatic solutions.
02:06He prefers them.
02:06He prefers them greatly.
02:07He wants that more than anything else.
02:09So I wouldn't characterize tomorrow as anything other than the latest in a set of conversations,
02:14and hopefully they're productive.
02:15But eventually, you know, we'll have to have conversations about more than just the nuclear
02:19program.
02:19But if you can't even make progress on the nuclear program, it's going to be hard to
02:24make progress on the ballistic missiles as well.
02:26We have made some progress last time.
02:29We were able to find some sort of understandings.
02:34And I think based on those understanding, we can build something in the form of an agreement,
02:44a deal.
02:45I think a fair, balanced and equitable deal is achievable, and we can do it.
02:51We are ready to answer questions.
02:53We are ready to remove concerns.
02:55But we are not ready to give up our rights for peaceful use of nuclear technology.
03:00This is what we are, what we demand.
03:04So I believe that tomorrow in Geneva, there is every possibility to come to an agreed solution,
03:13which is fair and balanced.
03:15We are a committed member of NPT, Non-Proliferation Treaty.
03:18And we have accepted not to have nuclear weapons, but at the same time, we have full rights to
03:24use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.
03:27And we want to practice that right.
03:30If there is any question, as I said, if there is any concern, we are ready to address.
03:37So we can build confidence on our nuclear program.
03:42And in return, we expect sanctions being terminated.
03:47There has been no...
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