WEBVTT 00:00.760 --> 00:03.350 - Welcome, everyone, to the Washington Foreign Press Center. 00:03.350 --> 00:05.100 My name is Cheryl Neely. 00:05.100 --> 00:06.760 We're pleased to have all of you 00:06.760 --> 00:08.920 as well as our special guests here 00:08.920 --> 00:11.700 to discuss human rights in Iran. 00:11.700 --> 00:14.260 The ground rules are that this is on camera 00:14.260 --> 00:16.170 and on the record. 00:16.170 --> 00:18.800 And first, I'll introduce our briefers. 00:18.800 --> 00:23.000 We have Robert Destro, Assistant Secretary of State 00:23.000 --> 00:26.300 with the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor 00:26.300 --> 00:28.340 to my far right. 00:28.340 --> 00:30.020 Then we have Brian Hook, 00:30.020 --> 00:32.170 Special Representative for Iran 00:32.170 --> 00:35.960 and Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State 00:35.960 --> 00:37.040 in the middle. 00:37.040 --> 00:40.050 And here we have Samuel D. Brownback, 00:40.050 --> 00:43.020 Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, 00:43.020 --> 00:45.070 Office of International Freedom, 00:45.070 --> 00:45.940 and of course they're all 00:45.940 --> 00:48.140 from the U.S. Department of State. 00:48.140 --> 00:50.530 Their full bio, uh, biographies were linked 00:50.530 --> 00:52.890 in your invitations, so please see those links, 00:52.890 --> 00:55.332 um, if you need more information. 00:55.332 --> 00:58.750 Um, so we will start with brief opening statements 00:58.750 --> 01:00.950 and then open it up for question and answer. 01:02.200 --> 01:03.196 Thank you. 01:03.196 --> 01:04.737 (mumbles) 01:04.737 --> 01:05.927 - Uh, thank you all for being here. 01:05.927 --> 01:07.467 'Preciate, uh, 'preciate you being here. 01:07.467 --> 01:10.010 Uh, the, uh, Secretary of State hosted 01:10.010 --> 01:13.250 this, uh, seminar, the meeting, uh, this morning 01:13.250 --> 01:16.840 to highlight the horrific, uh, track record 01:16.840 --> 01:18.710 of Iran on human rights. 01:18.710 --> 01:20.180 In the particular space that I work in, 01:20.180 --> 01:21.227 in Religious Freedom, uh, 01:21.227 --> 01:23.810 the Secretary announced today, uh, 01:23.810 --> 01:26.220 that Iran is again being designated 01:26.220 --> 01:28.100 a country of particular concern. 01:28.100 --> 01:30.020 Uh, this year that designation, uh, 01:30.020 --> 01:33.040 just issued today, uh, of Iran. 01:33.040 --> 01:35.190 It is one of the worst actors in the world 01:35.190 --> 01:37.000 on religious persecution. 01:37.000 --> 01:39.800 It persecutes virtually all of its, uh, 01:39.800 --> 01:42.470 religious minorities, um. 01:42.470 --> 01:47.310 And uh, they, um, in many different ways and aspects 01:47.310 --> 01:49.590 and increasingly, uh, so. 01:49.590 --> 01:54.590 And, I, and, uh, so they've garnered this title, 01:54.890 --> 01:57.930 uh, yet again of a country of particular concerns 01:57.930 --> 02:00.200 that is sanctionable, uh, that'll be something 02:00.200 --> 02:01.570 that'll be determined later on, 02:01.570 --> 02:03.240 although right now, uh, 02:03.240 --> 02:06.120 the maximum sanction policy is in place 02:06.120 --> 02:08.190 and that's, that's being pushed forward. 02:08.190 --> 02:10.470 Two things I'd like to quickly, uh, point out 02:10.470 --> 02:12.200 that came out of this seminar today, 02:12.200 --> 02:13.220 maybe some of you caught it 02:13.220 --> 02:14.540 that were watching it. 02:14.540 --> 02:16.610 Number one, we're going into a time of year of Christmas, 02:16.610 --> 02:18.450 where it's pretty frequent 02:18.450 --> 02:21.380 that the Iranian regime will round up 02:21.380 --> 02:24.530 and arrest leading Christian figures, uh, 02:24.530 --> 02:26.689 going into Christmas, uh, as a way 02:26.689 --> 02:29.280 to upset, I guess, the activities 02:29.280 --> 02:33.370 that they have, uh, have or had planned. 02:33.370 --> 02:36.250 Uh, and we've called on the Iranian regime not to do that. 02:36.250 --> 02:38.770 Uh, this is something they claim 02:38.770 --> 02:41.980 in their own Constitution to have religious freedom, 02:41.980 --> 02:43.860 uh, and yet it's not practiced, 02:43.860 --> 02:45.840 and this is something that takes place 02:45.840 --> 02:47.420 on a regular basic, did last year, 02:47.420 --> 02:48.710 did the year before. 02:48.710 --> 02:50.930 Uh, and we really, uh, 02:50.930 --> 02:53.760 believe this is a wrong thing to have happen. 02:53.760 --> 02:55.880 We, we would ask that it again 02:55.880 --> 02:57.970 be considered not to do that this year, 02:57.970 --> 02:59.820 that you just round up people, uh, 02:59.820 --> 03:01.660 on the Christmas season. 03:01.660 --> 03:03.400 The second thing is, on the internet, 03:03.400 --> 03:04.620 they've shut down the internet 03:04.620 --> 03:05.570 and obviously a lot of people, 03:05.570 --> 03:06.770 including religious people, 03:06.770 --> 03:08.350 use the internet, uh, 03:08.350 --> 03:09.740 for it not to be shut down, 03:09.740 --> 03:11.340 for it to be allowed to be open. 03:11.340 --> 03:13.408 Uh, for people to be able to use, uh, 03:13.408 --> 03:18.240 the, uh, the internet, uh, as they would, uh, see fit. 03:18.240 --> 03:19.360 Um, 03:19.360 --> 03:20.193 the, um, 03:21.330 --> 03:23.650 we had a number of other things that came forward. 03:23.650 --> 03:25.900 Um, one final thing I would say 03:25.900 --> 03:27.930 that we, the, the reaction group 03:27.930 --> 03:29.200 that I met with in the morning, 03:29.200 --> 03:33.920 we, each of us met with different, uh, Iranian, uh, groups. 03:33.920 --> 03:34.760 They were pointing out 03:34.760 --> 03:36.340 that the sanctions are really working, 03:36.340 --> 03:39.170 it's impacting the regime substantially. 03:39.170 --> 03:41.560 Uh, and, um, 03:41.560 --> 03:42.393 the pressure 03:42.393 --> 03:44.360 that this administration's putting on 'em, 03:44.360 --> 03:46.600 I think we can all say will continue 03:46.600 --> 03:49.000 until this, uh, regime, uh, returns 03:49.000 --> 03:51.010 to the normal fold of nations. 03:51.010 --> 03:53.650 Uh, it participates, uh, 03:53.650 --> 03:55.470 as a normal nation would 03:55.470 --> 03:57.973 in, in the, uh, global community. 04:02.960 --> 04:04.940 - Well, again, like (mumbles) said, 04:04.940 --> 04:05.860 thank you for coming. 04:05.860 --> 04:07.973 We look forward to hearing your questions. 04:07.973 --> 04:10.030 Uh, as, as you know, 04:10.030 --> 04:11.390 as the Assistant Secretary 04:11.390 --> 04:13.793 for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor 04:13.793 --> 04:15.400 I've got the Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor portfolios. 04:17.570 --> 04:20.660 And so this morning, we spent some time, uh, 04:20.660 --> 04:24.000 talking with a number of labor leaders, 04:24.000 --> 04:26.730 international labor organizations, you know, 04:26.730 --> 04:29.770 about the plight of workers in Iran. 04:29.770 --> 04:32.450 And, uh, some very, very serious problems, 04:32.450 --> 04:37.450 the, the, uh, the rate of unemployment is pretty staggering, 04:38.810 --> 04:43.080 uh, the rate of part-time work is pretty staggering, 04:43.080 --> 04:45.380 uh, the economy is collapsing 04:45.380 --> 04:49.740 in large part because the, uh, Iranian government 04:49.740 --> 04:52.770 is suppressing the creativity 04:52.770 --> 04:53.910 of its own people. 04:53.910 --> 04:54.990 I mean, all you have to do 04:54.990 --> 04:57.280 is look at the success rates 04:57.280 --> 04:59.730 of the Iranian diaspora communities 04:59.730 --> 05:02.980 here in the United States and the U.K. and Canada. 05:02.980 --> 05:07.210 They're incredibly dynamic, successful people. 05:07.210 --> 05:08.970 And, uh, and, you know, 05:08.970 --> 05:11.680 the Iranian government could have that too 05:11.680 --> 05:14.170 if it would just let up on its own people. 05:14.170 --> 05:18.103 Um, the, uh, the Secretary's speech 05:18.103 --> 05:19.470 was, I thought, 05:19.470 --> 05:22.610 particularly notable in several respects, 05:22.610 --> 05:25.680 one of which was the level of specificity 05:25.680 --> 05:28.980 with which he spoke about individual cases. 05:28.980 --> 05:32.370 And it's not simply individual cases of people 05:32.370 --> 05:35.120 who, uh, who were oppressed 05:35.120 --> 05:36.730 or killed by the regime, 05:36.730 --> 05:38.820 he mentioned those too. 05:38.820 --> 05:42.320 But the, the really, the new innovative thing 05:42.320 --> 05:43.260 that happened today 05:43.260 --> 05:47.530 was the first designation of specific Iranian judges 05:47.530 --> 05:49.550 for human rights violations. 05:49.550 --> 05:52.650 That's new, uh, it's something that, uh, 05:52.650 --> 05:55.090 that has been debated within the State department 05:55.090 --> 05:56.770 for quite some time. 05:56.770 --> 05:58.920 Uh, and of course, my own view, 05:58.920 --> 06:00.810 being somebody who, 06:00.810 --> 06:03.690 in my past career teaches legal ethics, 06:03.690 --> 06:06.690 and, and teaches about judicial ethics, 06:06.690 --> 06:09.133 is that a judge who really is not a judge, 06:10.203 --> 06:11.350 you know, the issue is, 06:11.350 --> 06:12.590 are the judges independent 06:12.590 --> 06:14.330 or are they not independent? 06:14.330 --> 06:16.498 And the, uh, the Iranian judges run 06:16.498 --> 06:19.220 what they call revolutionary courts. 06:19.220 --> 06:20.400 They're not independent, 06:20.400 --> 06:22.520 they're much more like party hacks 06:22.520 --> 06:25.220 than they are like, uh, like real judges. 06:25.220 --> 06:27.513 And, uh, and as a, uh, 06:29.140 --> 06:33.860 as a friend who is a high-ranking religious leader in Iran 06:33.860 --> 06:35.067 has pointed out to me, he said, 06:35.067 --> 06:36.491 "Look at the Quran, 06:36.491 --> 06:39.877 "it says, 'The judge who does not do justice 06:39.877 --> 06:42.840 "is himself an evil doer.'" 06:42.840 --> 06:45.320 And so, you know, what we were doing, 06:45.320 --> 06:47.077 what the Secretary was doing this morning, 06:47.077 --> 06:49.490 and we were trying to echo 06:49.490 --> 06:53.210 is the call on Iran to live up to the promises 06:53.210 --> 06:54.460 it made to its own people 06:55.420 --> 06:57.210 in its constitution, 06:57.210 --> 06:58.320 in its ratification 06:58.320 --> 07:03.220 of the International Labor, uh, Organization charter, 07:03.220 --> 07:07.280 and, in, uh, in the laws it has on its own books. 07:07.280 --> 07:10.330 And, uh, and, and the other thing, 07:10.330 --> 07:13.380 I think that was particularly significant, 07:13.380 --> 07:15.300 uh, with the Secretary's comments 07:15.300 --> 07:17.460 is how positive they were. 07:17.460 --> 07:20.450 It's like, it's almost like, hey, look. 07:20.450 --> 07:23.490 You know, we can open the door to this embassy. 07:23.490 --> 07:26.200 You just have to stop mistreating your own people 07:26.200 --> 07:28.150 and live up to your bargains. 07:28.150 --> 07:30.230 And when we have, the uh, as much, 07:30.230 --> 07:31.620 there's been much said and written 07:31.620 --> 07:33.730 about the, uh, the JCPOA, 07:33.730 --> 07:36.640 which I'll leave to Brian Hook, 07:36.640 --> 07:39.367 uh, because he's the acknowledged expert in all that, 07:39.367 --> 07:41.060 in all of that stuff. 07:41.060 --> 07:43.900 But from the perspective of Human Rights, 07:43.900 --> 07:46.763 I can tell you that if I make a contract with you, 07:47.850 --> 07:49.940 you know, and, and I intend to live by it 07:49.940 --> 07:53.283 it's because we see each other as equal human beings. 07:54.350 --> 07:57.170 And so if you don't live by your contracts, 07:57.170 --> 08:00.130 that means you think less of the other person 08:00.130 --> 08:02.850 that you, building a relationship with. 08:02.850 --> 08:05.010 So, you know, my big thing has been, 08:05.010 --> 08:08.460 let's put the human part back in human rights 08:08.460 --> 08:11.410 and look at the, the kinds of relationships 08:11.410 --> 08:13.500 we should be developing, uh, 08:13.500 --> 08:15.620 with not only the people, uh, 08:15.620 --> 08:19.420 but also with the, the government of the Islamic Republic. 08:19.420 --> 08:21.160 So I'll turn it over to Brian now. 08:21.160 --> 08:22.870 - I just want to mention one thing 08:22.870 --> 08:25.380 that, um, o-one of the judges 08:25.380 --> 08:27.300 that, that was sentenced today, 08:27.300 --> 08:29.850 I mean, that was sanctioned today, I should say, 08:29.850 --> 08:32.120 is, um, Judge Salavati. 08:32.120 --> 08:35.200 And this is a judge who had, um, 08:35.200 --> 08:39.640 put both Xiyue Wang and Jason Rezaian in prison. 08:39.640 --> 08:43.750 And after, uh, winning the release of Xiyue Wang, 08:43.750 --> 08:45.640 was able to spend some time with him. 08:45.640 --> 08:47.850 And he talked about Judge Salavati. 08:47.850 --> 08:51.359 And, um, his, he is notorious, 08:51.359 --> 08:52.840 uh, in Iran 08:53.790 --> 08:58.790 for, um, sentencing people to jail and to death. 08:59.000 --> 09:02.070 This includes, um, political prisoners, 09:02.070 --> 09:06.560 journalists, and human rights activists. 09:06.560 --> 09:07.660 I think it's very important 09:07.660 --> 09:11.960 for, um, the journalistic community 09:11.960 --> 09:15.790 for journalists to be exposing people like Judge Salavati. 09:15.790 --> 09:18.640 It is important that people, um, 09:18.640 --> 09:21.060 that I think the press cover 09:21.060 --> 09:25.670 just how many lives he has either ended or ruined 09:25.670 --> 09:26.650 by sending them to jail, 09:26.650 --> 09:28.760 especially the journalists. 09:28.760 --> 09:31.480 And what we've done today is to expose it. 09:31.480 --> 09:35.483 And so today, um, we sanctioned, um, two judges, 09:36.400 --> 09:39.330 uh, because they are a tool of the regime. 09:39.330 --> 09:41.480 And they enable the regime 09:41.480 --> 09:42.700 to crack down 09:42.700 --> 09:47.140 and to, uh, oppress and kill peaceful protestors, 09:47.140 --> 09:50.290 journalists, um, and the like. 09:50.290 --> 09:51.430 So, 09:51.430 --> 09:52.573 um, 09:53.660 --> 09:57.510 we had in, in, in the protests, 09:57.510 --> 10:01.090 we had as many as, as, uh, a thousand killed. 10:01.090 --> 10:03.770 Um, you've had 2,000 injured, 10:03.770 --> 10:05.810 over 7,000 are in jail 10:05.810 --> 10:08.330 and we've called for their immediate release, 10:08.330 --> 10:11.600 um, for, um, this regime has a history 10:11.600 --> 10:15.350 of harvesting the, the bravest of protestors 10:15.350 --> 10:17.180 and then putting them in prison, 10:17.180 --> 10:20.040 where, very often, um, they're killed. 10:20.040 --> 10:21.240 And then the regime will claim 10:21.240 --> 10:22.230 that they commit suicide. 10:22.230 --> 10:24.560 This is another regular sort of tactic 10:24.560 --> 10:25.630 that the regime uses. 10:25.630 --> 10:28.260 And including two environmental activists, 10:28.260 --> 10:30.940 um, who have also died in prison 10:30.940 --> 10:33.830 with the regime claiming they committed suicide. 10:33.830 --> 10:37.050 So, uh, we've also put visa restrictions, uh, 10:37.050 --> 10:40.280 for current and former senior Iranian officials. 10:40.280 --> 10:43.090 Um, because we don't them, uh, 10:43.090 --> 10:47.080 or, um, the children of the regime elite 10:47.080 --> 10:48.370 coming into the United States 10:48.370 --> 10:51.200 and enjoying the benefits and the freedoms 10:51.200 --> 10:52.940 that they can enjoy here 10:52.940 --> 10:56.483 but the Iranian people are denied by their government. 10:57.970 --> 10:59.450 We're happy to take some questions. 10:59.450 --> 11:00.480 - [Cheryl] Okay, so we'll open it up 11:00.480 --> 11:01.960 for question and answers. 11:01.960 --> 11:03.700 Uh, we will be using the ceiling mics, 11:03.700 --> 11:06.140 we will not pass microphones. 11:06.140 --> 11:07.930 Uh, you will not hear each other 11:07.930 --> 11:08.790 through the speakers, 11:08.790 --> 11:11.630 so, uh, please state your question somewhat loudly 11:11.630 --> 11:13.590 so your colleagues can hear you. 11:13.590 --> 11:14.870 Um, we may have questions 11:14.870 --> 11:16.662 from the New York FPC 11:16.662 --> 11:19.050 from, uh, Skype, 11:19.050 --> 11:22.340 and I ask all of you to please identify yourself 11:22.340 --> 11:24.740 with your name, outlet, and country 11:24.740 --> 11:26.514 before you ask your question. 11:26.514 --> 11:27.759 Okay, here, we've got one. 11:27.759 --> 11:30.200 - So, thank you very much for hosting, uh, 11:30.200 --> 11:33.340 this important, uh, briefing. 11:33.340 --> 11:36.026 I'm Kawa Khdr from Kurdistan 24. 11:36.026 --> 11:37.530 Uh, actually I have two questions. 11:37.530 --> 11:39.840 The first one is to Mr. Hook 11:39.840 --> 11:43.980 and the other one to His Excellency Mr. Brownback. 11:43.980 --> 11:46.520 Uh, Mr. Hook, uh, Brian, uh, 11:46.520 --> 11:49.550 there are still, uh, hundreds of, uh, 11:49.550 --> 11:52.020 humanitarian organization reports 11:52.020 --> 11:54.190 that say that up to today, 11:54.190 --> 11:56.540 that the Iranian government regime 11:56.540 --> 12:00.960 is still, uh, arresting and kidnapping activists, 12:00.960 --> 12:04.160 especially, uh, the ones like you mentioned 12:04.160 --> 12:07.780 that, that are powerful and they have publicity. 12:07.780 --> 12:09.937 So, uh, regarding this, uh, 12:10.840 --> 12:12.160 I do know that the United States 12:12.160 --> 12:13.420 is very concerned about this, 12:13.420 --> 12:14.800 but the question is, 12:14.800 --> 12:17.330 to what extent the United States, um, 12:17.330 --> 12:20.340 were able to persuade the international community 12:20.340 --> 12:21.720 to do something regarding this, 12:21.720 --> 12:23.480 especially Kurdish activists 12:23.480 --> 12:26.640 that every single night they kidnap and arrest them. 12:26.640 --> 12:29.180 Uh, my second question to Mr., uh, Brownbeck. 12:29.180 --> 12:32.810 Um, one of Iranians' influence in Iraq, 12:32.810 --> 12:34.790 which is very concerned by the Iraqi people, 12:34.790 --> 12:37.480 which still, also, ongoing in Iraq's field, 12:37.480 --> 12:41.380 is, uh, passing drugs to Iraq, 12:41.380 --> 12:45.240 fighting or, or cutting the Iraqi community 12:45.240 --> 12:46.643 by this, um, 12:47.540 --> 12:49.230 terrified weapon. 12:49.230 --> 12:50.263 So, uh, 12:51.600 --> 12:54.100 what extent also the United States 12:54.100 --> 12:55.670 is concerned about this, 12:55.670 --> 12:58.590 to having talks about the Iraqi government 12:58.590 --> 13:00.550 to help them to find a way 13:00.550 --> 13:01.790 for cutting these ways, 13:01.790 --> 13:03.640 which is across the borders 13:03.640 --> 13:06.380 between the Iranian proxies happening every day 13:06.380 --> 13:10.040 and led Iraq to a very, very critical situation? 13:10.040 --> 13:10.873 Thank you. 13:10.873 --> 13:12.710 - I think that's really one for you more, Bob, 13:12.710 --> 13:14.433 than, isn't it, 13:15.620 --> 13:16.453 if it's a drug issue? 13:16.453 --> 13:18.981 - Well, you know, you mean, it's a drug issue? 13:18.981 --> 13:20.647 - Yeah. - Yeah, I mean, I think 13:20.647 --> 13:25.470 that anytime there is com, government complicity 13:25.470 --> 13:27.340 in, in the drug trade, 13:27.340 --> 13:30.070 you know, we're really not dealing with governments anymore, 13:30.070 --> 13:32.520 we're dealing with organized criminals. 13:32.520 --> 13:35.630 And, and so I don't have access to the data 13:35.630 --> 13:36.730 that you're talking about, 13:36.730 --> 13:39.100 so I can't talk about it in general. 13:39.100 --> 13:40.430 I've heard about it, 13:40.430 --> 13:42.890 but all I can say here is what I've heard, 13:42.890 --> 13:43.723 not what I know. 13:43.723 --> 13:46.810 So I think I'll stay pretty carefully. 13:46.810 --> 13:48.720 And if they're in the drug trade, 13:48.720 --> 13:50.590 that's not normal government business. 13:50.590 --> 13:52.293 That's criminal behavior. 13:53.641 --> 13:55.069 - (clears throat) On the first question, 13:55.069 --> 13:57.020 we think that it's very important 13:57.020 --> 13:58.660 after the, 13:58.660 --> 14:00.820 um, the brutal crackdown, 14:00.820 --> 14:05.223 uh, the deadliest crackdown in this regime's history, 14:06.350 --> 14:09.530 far exceeding anything that happened under the Shah, 14:09.530 --> 14:10.900 that we think now is the time 14:10.900 --> 14:14.420 for all nations to be diplomatically isolating, uh, 14:14.420 --> 14:17.930 the regime and its, and its key figures 14:17.930 --> 14:18.990 and sending a message 14:18.990 --> 14:22.060 that it's not going to be business as usual 14:22.060 --> 14:23.810 with the regime. 14:23.810 --> 14:26.870 We think that governments should be identifying individuals 14:26.870 --> 14:29.670 as we have and sanctioning them. 14:29.670 --> 14:30.503 Now is the time 14:30.503 --> 14:33.100 to be identifying the regime officials 14:33.100 --> 14:34.560 who are responsible for the crackdown. 14:34.560 --> 14:37.500 For example, just within a few days of the protests, 14:37.500 --> 14:38.680 we imposed sanctions 14:38.680 --> 14:41.260 on the minister of Communications and Technology, 14:41.260 --> 14:44.040 who is responsible for taking down the internet. 14:44.040 --> 14:45.680 We have now sanctioned two judges 14:45.680 --> 14:48.560 who have been sentencing human rights activists 14:48.560 --> 14:51.130 to prison or to death. 14:51.130 --> 14:53.160 Other nations need to be standing 14:53.160 --> 14:54.400 with the Iranian people 14:55.250 --> 14:56.380 and doing what they can 14:56.380 --> 14:59.530 to isolate the regime and sanction its members. 14:59.530 --> 15:00.470 - [Kawa] Thank you. 15:00.470 --> 15:01.303 - [Cheryl] Okay. 15:01.303 --> 15:03.500 We'll, um, take the next question from New York. 15:03.500 --> 15:04.900 I see someone at the podium. 15:06.450 --> 15:08.263 I believe that's Mr. Mehta. 15:09.910 --> 15:11.163 - Thank you very much. 15:12.200 --> 15:14.710 Uh, my name is Manik Mehta. 15:14.710 --> 15:17.133 I am a syndicated journalist. 15:18.160 --> 15:21.540 Uh, there is a, there is an Islamic summit 15:21.540 --> 15:23.010 being held currently 15:24.070 --> 15:25.540 in Kuala Lumpur 15:26.680 --> 15:30.203 with the presence of Iranian leader Rouhani. 15:31.420 --> 15:33.983 How do you see this Islamic summit? 15:34.900 --> 15:39.310 Would you see this as a rupture in the OIC, 15:39.310 --> 15:42.263 as many U.S. commentators are saying? 15:43.510 --> 15:46.880 I would like to have your take on this, please. 15:46.880 --> 15:47.713 Thank you. 15:52.620 --> 15:53.803 - I, I myself don't have a take on it 15:53.803 --> 15:56.337 because I'm not in charge of the OIC, 15:56.337 --> 15:59.350 and I don't want to wander outside of my lane. 15:59.350 --> 16:01.520 I don't know if Secretary Destro 16:01.520 --> 16:03.430 or Ambassador Brownback have any views. 16:03.430 --> 16:05.900 - Well, I don't, I don't have any knowledge 16:05.900 --> 16:09.550 about the internal politics of the OIC. 16:09.550 --> 16:11.980 What I can tell you is that, uh, 16:11.980 --> 16:14.680 when I was in Geneva, 16:14.680 --> 16:16.540 uh, two weeks ago, 16:16.540 --> 16:20.434 I had lunch with the OIC ambassadors there 16:20.434 --> 16:22.580 and asked the question, 16:22.580 --> 16:24.740 how do we get the United States 16:24.740 --> 16:26.510 and the OIC working together 16:26.510 --> 16:28.830 to advance the cause of human rights 16:28.830 --> 16:31.820 coming from within the Islamic tradition? 16:31.820 --> 16:33.280 I don't see a meeting like this 16:33.280 --> 16:35.250 as helpful in that regard, 16:35.250 --> 16:39.190 you know, but you know, your, as I understood your question, 16:39.190 --> 16:40.780 it was what's our take on, 16:40.780 --> 16:43.020 you know, has the OIC split? 16:43.020 --> 16:44.710 I can't, I can't address that. 16:44.710 --> 16:46.840 But what I can tell you is that 16:46.840 --> 16:49.690 entertaining a human rights violator 16:49.690 --> 16:51.303 is not a very good sign. 16:53.380 --> 16:54.213 - [Cheryl] Okay. 16:54.213 --> 16:55.863 Next question here in D.C. 16:56.733 --> 16:57.606 Hardi. 16:57.606 --> 16:58.820 - Yes. 16:58.820 --> 16:59.700 Uh, hello. 16:59.700 --> 17:00.533 My name is Hardi. 17:00.533 --> 17:02.720 I'm from NRT, Kurdish news TV. 17:02.720 --> 17:04.010 I have a question. 17:04.010 --> 17:06.810 Uh, my question is since the U.S. withdrawal 17:06.810 --> 17:07.990 from nuclear weapon, 17:07.990 --> 17:09.440 there, there is no any, like, 17:09.440 --> 17:11.680 formal or any official relationship 17:11.680 --> 17:13.490 between Iranian Government, 17:13.490 --> 17:16.200 including the Kurdish opposition parties. 17:16.200 --> 17:17.450 Is there any attempt 17:17.450 --> 17:20.710 or any plan that U.S. might be contact 17:20.710 --> 17:23.770 with those Kurdish political parties in the area? 17:23.770 --> 17:25.020 Just like how you have contact 17:25.020 --> 17:28.050 with the Kurdish political parties in Kurdistan Region 17:28.050 --> 17:29.010 and in northern Syria, 17:29.010 --> 17:30.220 is there any, any plan 17:30.220 --> 17:31.870 to, to make a relationship 17:31.870 --> 17:35.513 with those Kurdish political parties in the area? 17:39.010 --> 17:40.333 - That really, that is probably a question 17:40.333 --> 17:41.860 for the assistant secretary 17:41.860 --> 17:42.693 for the regional bureau 17:42.693 --> 17:44.420 that handles that for NEA, 17:44.420 --> 17:47.531 and so I would defer to David Schenker on that. 17:47.531 --> 17:48.364 - [Hardi] Mm. 17:48.364 --> 17:50.450 - [Cheryl] If you'd like to send that question to Doris, 17:50.450 --> 17:52.440 we can follow up afterward. 17:52.440 --> 17:53.730 If you want to ask a question, 17:53.730 --> 17:54.720 please raise your hand high 17:54.720 --> 17:55.940 because I'm having trouble seeing you. 17:55.940 --> 17:56.773 Alex. 17:56.773 --> 17:58.220 - Yes, thank you very much for your presentation. 17:58.220 --> 17:59.810 Alex Raufoglu of Turan News Agency. 17:59.810 --> 18:01.380 I have three questions, actually. 18:01.380 --> 18:02.550 Is the administration trying 18:02.550 --> 18:04.500 to take the case Iran, 18:04.500 --> 18:05.640 let's say, dossier, 18:05.640 --> 18:08.140 to the UN Security Council at some point? 18:08.140 --> 18:08.973 My second question, 18:08.973 --> 18:12.560 do you have anything about Azerbaijanis living in Iran? 18:12.560 --> 18:13.410 Have you heard of them, 18:13.410 --> 18:17.170 any human rights violations targeting Azeris in Iran? 18:17.170 --> 18:18.110 And number three question, 18:18.110 --> 18:21.450 uh, when setting all these sanctions 18:21.450 --> 18:23.370 you know, back to back against Iran, 18:23.370 --> 18:24.480 do you, I know this administration 18:24.480 --> 18:27.060 doesn't like, you know, setting redlines, 18:27.060 --> 18:29.585 but is there any redline for, uh, Iran's, 18:29.585 --> 18:31.520 let's say, friends, 18:31.520 --> 18:32.840 in the region like Azerbaijan, 18:32.840 --> 18:34.370 like Russia, or others 18:34.370 --> 18:37.380 in terms of, you know, how to avoid U.S. sanctions 18:37.380 --> 18:39.113 when, you know, uh, 18:40.470 --> 18:41.990 setting up their relationship with Iran? 18:41.990 --> 18:44.583 So is there any redline for them as well? 18:46.950 --> 18:49.200 - Why don't I do the first and third question, maybe. 18:49.200 --> 18:53.460 On the first one, um, Iran did attack Saudi Arabia 18:53.460 --> 18:54.530 on September 14th. 18:54.530 --> 18:56.410 It was a direct attack. 18:56.410 --> 18:59.150 And, um, today in the UN Security Council, 18:59.150 --> 19:01.030 Ambassador Craft, um, 19:01.030 --> 19:03.427 presented recent evidence demonstrating, 19:03.427 --> 19:05.290 um, that Iran is responsible 19:05.290 --> 19:07.350 for the attack on Saudi Arabia. 19:07.350 --> 19:09.710 That is a violation of the UN charter. 19:09.710 --> 19:12.850 It violates the sovereignty of another country. 19:12.850 --> 19:14.060 We do think there is a role 19:14.060 --> 19:16.040 for the Security Council to play today. 19:16.040 --> 19:17.990 It is being discussed. 19:17.990 --> 19:22.710 But, um, I think, as the countries that are involved 19:22.710 --> 19:26.660 with the site exploitation conclude their investigations, 19:26.660 --> 19:29.730 that that will be presented to the UN Security Council, 19:29.730 --> 19:31.170 and then it will be up to the Council 19:31.170 --> 19:34.160 on what action that they think is appropriate to take 19:34.160 --> 19:36.040 when one country violates the sovereignty 19:36.040 --> 19:38.660 of another country with military force. 19:38.660 --> 19:40.810 On the third question on redlines and sanctions, 19:40.810 --> 19:44.763 we, we, we sanction any sanctionable activity, 19:45.810 --> 19:49.380 and, um, that's just a policy, 19:49.380 --> 19:51.720 and it's applied universally. 19:51.720 --> 19:53.960 There aren't any exceptions to it. 19:53.960 --> 19:56.730 And this administration has now sanctioned, I think, 19:56.730 --> 19:59.150 either, we're either, uh, 19:59.150 --> 20:04.150 near 1,000 or over 1,000 individuals and organizations. 20:04.550 --> 20:05.580 And in some case, 20:05.580 --> 20:07.980 it's sort of directly sanctioning Iranian individuals 20:07.980 --> 20:10.630 and entities, but then it's also secondary sanctions. 20:11.580 --> 20:15.110 The Department of Justice recently announced, um, 20:15.110 --> 20:17.650 prosecution against some individuals 20:17.650 --> 20:18.920 who were, 20:18.920 --> 20:20.150 um, 20:20.150 --> 20:22.570 uh, facilitating, uh, 20:22.570 --> 20:25.488 parts to Mahan Air. 20:25.488 --> 20:28.680 Mahan Air is the airline of choice for all, 20:28.680 --> 20:31.760 for Iranian terrorists and arms dealers. 20:31.760 --> 20:35.070 And any person or organization 20:35.070 --> 20:39.163 that is supporting the operations of Mahan Air, we sanction. 20:40.210 --> 20:43.690 And so, um, this is, um, a policy we've had in place now 20:43.690 --> 20:46.200 for a while of primary and secondary sanctions, 20:46.200 --> 20:47.330 and so we don't, 20:47.330 --> 20:50.040 we don't really make exceptions to that. 20:50.040 --> 20:52.130 - On the, I'll take the Azeri piece of it. 20:52.130 --> 20:55.610 The Azeris are, I hear different figures, 20:55.610 --> 20:57.390 somewhere (coughs) low 20%, 20:57.390 --> 21:00.260 so a third of the population of Iran, 21:00.260 --> 21:03.300 are of Azeri, uh, descent. 21:03.300 --> 21:06.090 The, the problem with what a lot of times 21:06.090 --> 21:07.870 that Iranians do in my space 21:07.870 --> 21:09.930 is any, any group that's a minority, 21:09.930 --> 21:11.565 even if it's a substantial minority, 21:11.565 --> 21:14.260 they d-deny them their entire rights 21:14.260 --> 21:18.650 unless you will, you will fly within the regime's picture 21:18.650 --> 21:21.900 of what an Islamic state has to look like, 21:21.900 --> 21:24.340 practicing Shia, uh, religion 21:24.340 --> 21:27.890 the way they define Shi'ism has to be practiced. 21:27.890 --> 21:28.740 So in that sense, 21:28.740 --> 21:32.470 the Azeris, uh, receive the same sort of persecution 21:32.470 --> 21:34.830 that almost any other population group does. 21:34.830 --> 21:36.500 If they decide they want to be 21:36.500 --> 21:39.760 in a different, uh, branch of, uh, Islam, 21:39.760 --> 21:40.790 they're persecuted. 21:40.790 --> 21:43.400 If they're, if they decide they want to convert 21:43.400 --> 21:46.090 to another faith, to be Zoroastrian or Christian, 21:46.090 --> 21:47.500 they're persecuted. 21:47.500 --> 21:51.380 Uh, if they're Baha'i Azeris, they're persecuted. 21:51.380 --> 21:54.300 Uh, it's just, it's this complete lack of tolerance. 21:54.300 --> 21:56.000 And one of the things that, 21:56.000 --> 22:00.080 this is such a dead-end road for the Iranian country 22:00.080 --> 22:01.900 and the Iranian people. 22:01.900 --> 22:04.600 This declines your economy, 22:04.600 --> 22:07.230 this creates more terrorism, 22:07.230 --> 22:10.380 this creates more dissent within a country 22:10.380 --> 22:11.680 when you operate this way, 22:11.680 --> 22:14.220 and yet they've chosen not only to do it, 22:14.220 --> 22:16.310 but to, to up their game, 22:16.310 --> 22:18.490 uh, now, on this latest crackdown 22:18.490 --> 22:20.660 uh, that Brian spoke about, 22:20.660 --> 22:24.280 the, the most that they've ever done. 22:24.280 --> 22:26.020 But that's also the trajectory 22:26.020 --> 22:27.550 that you have to stay on 22:27.550 --> 22:29.130 if you're the Iranian regime, 22:29.130 --> 22:30.780 because as more and more people 22:30.780 --> 22:32.490 get more and more dissatisfied 22:32.490 --> 22:35.720 and willing to act out more and more, 22:35.720 --> 22:37.950 the, the, the stakes get higher 22:37.950 --> 22:40.150 and more people get killed, 22:40.150 --> 22:41.723 and that's why it needs to end. 22:43.899 --> 22:44.732 - [Chery] Okay, um, 22:44.732 --> 22:45.780 did I see one - Here. 22:45.780 --> 22:47.401 - on this side of the room? 22:47.401 --> 22:48.400 No? Okay. 22:48.400 --> 22:50.810 - Hi, uh, my name is Kanwal Abidi. 22:50.810 --> 22:52.210 I'm from Pakistan. 22:52.210 --> 22:55.410 I report for online news publication AZB. 22:55.410 --> 22:57.089 So before I ask the question, 22:57.089 --> 23:00.980 I would like to state one of the rituals of Iran, 23:00.980 --> 23:04.910 Iranian men that they indulge into a temporary marriage, 23:04.910 --> 23:06.150 which is called mut'ah. 23:06.150 --> 23:08.080 So that is being misused, 23:08.080 --> 23:11.080 and the local media in Baluchistan reports 23:11.080 --> 23:14.510 that women are being exploited and smuggled, 23:14.510 --> 23:17.280 you know, Pakistan and Iranian mother 23:17.280 --> 23:18.337 through this, uh, mut'ah. 23:18.337 --> 23:20.010 And the domino effect 23:20.010 --> 23:21.660 that all the illegitimate child, 23:21.660 --> 23:24.290 they are then, you know, thrown into the child labor. 23:24.290 --> 23:25.920 So what is U.S. stance on it, 23:25.920 --> 23:28.200 and, and is it in your notice? 23:28.200 --> 23:29.033 My first question, 23:29.033 --> 23:30.650 is this thing in your notice 23:30.650 --> 23:33.720 that women are being smuggled into Iran 23:33.720 --> 23:36.150 because of this, uh, temporary marriage? 23:36.150 --> 23:38.940 - Yeah, the, that wouldn't be in my portfolio, 23:38.940 --> 23:41.823 I mean, for, as far as the human trafficking aspect of it. 23:41.823 --> 23:44.310 But, but it's not unusual. 23:44.310 --> 23:45.760 It's pretty typical 23:45.760 --> 23:48.260 if these sorts of factors are lining up 23:48.260 --> 23:49.110 that you're going to see 23:49.110 --> 23:52.653 more and more human trafficking taking place. 23:55.379 --> 23:56.212 - [Kanwal] Okay. 23:56.212 --> 23:58.473 - [Cheryl] Okay, next question in the back here. 23:59.550 --> 24:01.050 - Thank you so, um, 24:01.050 --> 24:02.030 my name is Watanabe 24:02.030 --> 24:05.320 from Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun. 24:05.320 --> 24:06.490 My question is for Ambassador-- 24:06.490 --> 24:07.979 - [Samuel] Could you speak up just a little bit? 24:07.979 --> 24:09.645 - [Cheryl] Yes. - [Samuel] We can't hear you. 24:09.645 --> 24:10.503 - [Brian] Yeah, we can't hear you. 24:10.503 --> 24:14.717 - Yeah, um, my question is, uh, for the Ambassador Hook. 24:14.717 --> 24:18.833 So, uh, Iranian President Rouhaniwill visit Japan, 24:19.750 --> 24:20.883 uh, 24:20.883 --> 24:21.716 tomorrow, 24:21.716 --> 24:22.980 or at the U.S. Eastern time, 24:22.980 --> 24:24.330 and then he would meet 24:24.330 --> 24:26.770 our Japanese Prime Minister Abe in Tokyo. 24:26.770 --> 24:28.980 So could you give us your comment 24:28.980 --> 24:31.683 or expectation on that summit meeting? 24:33.760 --> 24:35.650 - President Rouhani's government murdered 24:35.650 --> 24:38.860 as many as a thousand peaceful protestors, 24:38.860 --> 24:41.280 injured 2,000, 24:41.280 --> 24:43.663 and jailed over 7,000, 24:44.570 --> 24:46.110 and so what message is being sent 24:46.110 --> 24:50.320 to the families of the dead, the injured, and the jailed 24:50.320 --> 24:52.583 when Rouhani is received by another country? 25:00.290 --> 25:01.383 - Thank you very much. 25:01.383 --> 25:05.139 I am Rahim Rashidi, or Mr. Kurd, from Kurdistan TV. 25:05.139 --> 25:09.970 Uh, as you know, in last demonstration in Iran, 25:09.970 --> 25:12.900 the majority, strong majority of demonstrator 25:12.900 --> 25:15.770 we heard saying no 25:15.770 --> 25:18.720 Islamic, no Islamic Republic of Iran. 25:18.720 --> 25:21.740 That's mean that strong majority of Iranian people 25:21.740 --> 25:23.880 looking for regime change in Iran. 25:23.880 --> 25:27.160 And same time, you don't have any plan 25:27.160 --> 25:28.333 for regime change. 25:29.650 --> 25:31.220 Any comments about that 25:31.220 --> 25:34.580 and how you can help Iranian people? 25:34.580 --> 25:35.900 - Well, we have helped the Iranian people 25:35.900 --> 25:39.050 by giving voice, um, to their 25:39.050 --> 25:41.790 demands for a more representative government, 25:41.790 --> 25:42.960 and that is a reversal 25:42.960 --> 25:44.520 of the prior administration's policy, 25:44.520 --> 25:48.060 which gave voice to the regime's, um, 25:48.060 --> 25:51.220 um, the regime's policies and views. 25:51.220 --> 25:53.240 We've stood with the Iranian people. 25:53.240 --> 25:55.690 We've sanctioned their oppressors. 25:55.690 --> 25:57.850 Um, we support their demands 25:57.850 --> 25:59.690 for a more representative government. 25:59.690 --> 26:00.523 And many of the things 26:00.523 --> 26:03.040 that we're asking the regime to stop doing 26:03.040 --> 26:03.873 are the same things 26:03.873 --> 26:06.230 that the Iranian people are asking them to stop doing. 26:06.230 --> 26:08.130 They are tired of the, um, 26:08.130 --> 26:09.640 they're tired of their national wealth 26:09.640 --> 26:14.421 squandered in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, 26:14.421 --> 26:17.360 and terrorism across five continents 26:17.360 --> 26:19.400 over the last 40 years. 26:19.400 --> 26:21.100 They would like to have a government 26:21.100 --> 26:23.040 that is more responsive to the people 26:23.040 --> 26:24.663 instead of the proxies. 26:25.600 --> 26:28.420 And these are all legitimate demands. 26:28.420 --> 26:30.610 I think the Iranian people have been, 26:30.610 --> 26:32.590 over many, many decades, 26:32.590 --> 26:35.080 um, even over the last century, 26:35.080 --> 26:37.280 working toward a, a government 26:37.280 --> 26:39.250 that truly represents them. 26:39.250 --> 26:42.240 And these last 40 years will not be remembered 26:42.240 --> 26:45.824 as a government that represents, uh, the people. 26:45.824 --> 26:50.460 And so, um, but, and, and all of that said, 26:50.460 --> 26:53.230 the future of Iran will be decided by Iranians. 26:53.230 --> 26:54.490 It will be decided by the people. 26:54.490 --> 26:55.380 It will not be decided 26:55.380 --> 26:57.020 by the United States Government. 26:57.020 --> 27:00.675 We have put in place the strongest economic pressure 27:00.675 --> 27:03.750 in this, uh, government's history, 27:03.750 --> 27:05.620 and we have also stood with the people 27:05.620 --> 27:07.430 in ways that are very innovative, 27:07.430 --> 27:09.260 very creative, and very consistent. 27:09.260 --> 27:11.270 And we will continue to do that. 27:11.270 --> 27:13.870 - I think when you look at 27:13.870 --> 27:16.765 what the Secretary had to say today, 27:16.765 --> 27:20.810 uh, he was responding basically to your question. 27:20.810 --> 27:23.867 And, you know, the Iranian Government themselves will say 27:23.867 --> 27:25.357 "Do you want to change the regime, 27:25.357 --> 27:27.490 "or do you want to change our behavior?" 27:27.490 --> 27:29.690 The Secretary was very clear this morning. 27:29.690 --> 27:31.770 He wants them to change their behavior, 27:31.770 --> 27:34.990 because it's not the role of the American Government 27:34.990 --> 27:37.200 to change the Iranian Government. 27:37.200 --> 27:38.630 I mean, it's, it's, it's, 27:38.630 --> 27:41.130 if we really believe in democracy, 27:41.130 --> 27:44.610 the Iranians have to shoulder that burden themselves, 27:44.610 --> 27:47.630 you know, but it's going to be very, very hard to do that 27:47.630 --> 27:49.973 the more repressive the regime becomes. 27:51.840 --> 27:53.910 - [Cheryl] We have time for one or two final questions. 27:53.910 --> 27:56.510 I want to see if there is another one from New York. 28:00.060 --> 28:02.990 Okay, anyone who has not asked a question yet. 28:02.990 --> 28:03.881 Yes, go ahead. 28:03.881 --> 28:04.714 - Okay. 28:04.714 --> 28:07.200 Um, Ahmed Al Hazeem from Al Jazeera. 28:07.200 --> 28:10.480 My question is regarding that maximum pressure campaign 28:10.480 --> 28:12.790 that the U.S. has mounted on Iran 28:12.790 --> 28:16.360 is not just targeting the change of behavior of Iran in, 28:16.360 --> 28:19.140 toward its people, but also its influence 28:19.140 --> 28:21.860 in the region and especially Iraq, Lebanon, 28:21.860 --> 28:23.250 and other countries. 28:23.250 --> 28:26.470 But, uh, recently, the, uh, U.S. State Department announced 28:26.470 --> 28:30.370 that it's going to downsize the diplomatic, Iraq mission 28:30.370 --> 28:34.040 in Iraq by almost 28%. 28:34.040 --> 28:37.750 Do you feel that this downsizing will leave a vacuum 28:37.750 --> 28:41.343 that only Iran maybe can benefit from in Iraq? 28:44.840 --> 28:48.940 - Um, I don't have any comment on our staffing change. 28:48.940 --> 28:50.850 Um, our, 28:50.850 --> 28:51.683 our, 28:51.683 --> 28:53.790 levels, uh, go up and down, 28:53.790 --> 28:55.340 but the mission doesn't change. 28:56.176 --> 28:57.820 The Secretary has been very clear 28:57.820 --> 28:58.970 that he has been standing 28:58.970 --> 29:02.000 uh, in support of the Iraqi protesters. 29:02.000 --> 29:04.710 Uh, many of these protesters have been killed 29:04.710 --> 29:07.510 by elements of the Iranian regime. 29:07.510 --> 29:08.987 And, uh, 29:08.987 --> 29:09.943 and so, 29:11.510 --> 29:13.100 and you also see many of the things 29:13.100 --> 29:15.460 that people are protesting in Iran 29:15.460 --> 29:17.010 against the government, 29:17.010 --> 29:20.980 um, the people in Iraq and Lebanon are also protesting 29:20.980 --> 29:25.120 against the corruption, the lack of transparency, 29:25.120 --> 29:30.120 um, the squandering of, of national wealth, 29:30.140 --> 29:32.743 um, the declining standard of living, 29:33.700 --> 29:36.990 always being dragged into these sectarian wars. 29:36.990 --> 29:38.520 Um, the Iranian regime would like 29:38.520 --> 29:42.486 to dominate Baghdad and all of Iraq. 29:42.486 --> 29:44.800 And so, um, w-we're as committed as ever, 29:44.800 --> 29:48.390 and I wouldn't over-read, uh, any decisions made 29:48.390 --> 29:51.923 about, uh, the staffing levels that are at our embassies. 29:53.744 --> 29:55.780 - [Cheryl] Okay, we'd like to thank all of our briefers 29:55.780 --> 29:58.080 for coming today, as well as the journalists. 29:58.080 --> 30:00.520 And with that, the event has concluded. 30:00.520 --> 30:01.381 Thank you very much. 30:01.381 --> 30:02.214 - Thank you. 30:02.214 --> 30:03.131 - Are you--