Expediency Council Chairman and a candidate in the 9th presidential election Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in an interview with IRIB recently outlined his future platform in case he becomes Iran's president.

The follow is an excerpt of the interview: "One of the motives I became a candidate for the ninth presidential elections was to solve the nuclear problem for myself and the world because of my knowledge of global diplomacy.

"I believe we should try to allay the concerns of Europe and even the US in this respect. We should assure them that they are not right in their concern that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons.

We should assure them that we are not in that direction.

"Logic should govern us. They should set forth reasons for their concerns. Then we will either rule out the reasons or provide them with reasons and justifications as well as facilities to find out what happens in Iran so as to reach the conclusion there are no such activities in the country. Of course, we presume those seeking such assurances will be sincere. I can work on this theory.

"Any compromise on the nuclear issue will mean offering a piece of Iranian soil to foreigners. How can we compromise on the general right of nations to attain nuclear technology? "The issue is the right of the nation. I think no government will allow itself to give up the right of the nation or deny them the right -- the right that is in conformity with international regulations.

"We cannot ignore the US as a reality. The reality is that the US is a superpower. This is exactly the core of the diplomacy and the art how to manage it. The president should be prudent enough to act and behave in a way to have them stop any ambition. We should make the US understand that its ambition in such issues in the Middle East would not guarantee its interests. We should make the US reach the understanding that it can meet its goals better through logic and by observation of international rights. There is one more point worth taking into consideration. The US has some interests in the case and we do too. Sometimes we shared some interests that should be well-defined and interpreted. Washington's hostile approaches are also the negative points which are harmful for both the US and Iran as well as the world. We presume the wise rule the world.

"This is a very serious and prolonged issue. When I was president in the past, I used to say repeatedly that if the US is willing to have cooperation with Iran, it should show goodwill and prove it. Both during the revolution and even before it the Americans usually pioneered attempts to discredit Iran. Iran in turn only sufficed to showing reactions. Now too, it should take the first step if is really willing to have relations and cooperate with Iran.

"The US stances contain both positive and negative points. The negative points with the US' Iran approach are the congressional approvals, including congressional endorsement of the budget or acts.

The positive points have been rare however -- perhaps two in dozens.

One of the positive points in the US' Iran policy is its lifting of the veto on our entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The US has thus far taken the initiative. But from now on we will have the opportunity to the take the initiative. We should enter talks with the US to get to know how much it will be in our interests to get involved in the talks. We should know however when to enter the talks; we should know what to do with our industry. This is a good opportunity and I think is a good sign. A second positive point with the US' Iran diplomacy is the recent statement of Mr. Bush. He has said we also believe Iranians can somehow do the enrichment. This is exactly the hot bed of our problem and is something fully clear. The US has raised such a claim because the project of enrichment makes no cost on the US. I remember once I raised a clear offer in the past, which cannot be expressed again but in another way.

"I used to say we have large amount of assets in the US which earn no interest and revenue for Washington. The US has kept the assets in its bank, without giving any interest to us. The longer the US keeps our assets in its banks, the more interest it will have to give us in future. I am sure we will eventually take back the assets. But the question is why they do not release the assets? No problem! It is free not to release the assets! This will show nothing but the US hostility. I am sure if we enter talks with the US, public opinion will also support us.

"We are a revolutionary nation. We do not want to lose our pride and prestige. It is not also wise for us to do so. After Islamic Revolution too, we treated the US well. People stood up and this led to the revolution. Those times no American was hurt. They severed ties with us, imposed sanctions on us and waged war and coup on us. They were even about to enter military conflict with us. They caused troubles against us on many occasions. They are bullying extremely.

They can stop all the gestures to prove their goodwill. To make the US prove its goodwill, I believe we should enter talks. Logic rules holding talks with such a big state as the US. We hope for settlement of problems and establishment of cooperation and continued consultations with Washington so that they would get our message. We do not have any problem with the American people. We have problem with certain elements in the US government and the extremists.

"The country faces many obstacles for tourist attraction. Tourist catering is not something much easy in Iran. There are attempts to prepare many tourist facilities, such as hotels, roads, good transportation and many other essentials in the country for the purpose so that they would match global standards. The Iran Tour and Travel Organization is in charge of handling such problems. One of the problems should be solved is preparation of easy transportation facilities. Tourists should be able to come and go freely. Another problem is the cultural problem. It is important both for us and tourists to have the cultural problem settled. I think the problem with Hijab or Islamic dress code will not be much serious for tourists if they find there is no problem in Iran, Iranians are hospitable and a friendly atmosphere exists in the country. Of course the problem with Hijab does exist now and the tourists coming to the country observe their own style Hijab. At any rate, our revolution is Islamic.

We give importance to Hijab. Hijab is a real Islamic ruling. I believe we have been a little a bit tough with Hijab observation in Iran. Of course, one cannot be much soft in relation with Hijab however regarding the Islamic ruling pertaining to the issue.

"Besides the issue, removal of problems with tourism is possible.

For instance, we can avoid dealing with privacy of the tourists. They should feel free in hotels, roads and even at their residences. First of all, we should build up our tourist reception and catering facilities. Secondly, we should try to foil foreign publicity and try to be soft towards tourists.

"Definitely, Iranians abroad are suffering from being out of home.

Homesickness is itself a big pain. Easterners suffer the most from homesickness due to their strong attachments. Many strategies both the political and economic ones can be adopted to tackle the problem. The cabinet in my first presidential term had taken up a plan to attract the elite. It even had taken big steps for the goal. We set up an office and prepared some facilities. These attracted a large number of the out-of-home elites even. They immigrated due to a number of problems in the country. They immigrated to get rid of the problems.

The people leave the country on the hope for a better life and for more suitable conditions abroad. There is no reason for the immigration. The reason for the immigration can be economic, social or political or problems the elite have with the establishment. Many reasons can be behind the immigration. Partially, foreigners' need for the elite is the reason for the brain drain. The foreigners have always been looking for the elite in Iran. They identify the elite at olympiad and congresses or in different places. Having identified the elite, foreigners make attractive and luring promises to them. The new conditions the foreigners prepare is the main reason for the brain drain. So, we should try to prepare more suitable conditions and adopt more suitable strategies to have contacts with the elite. We should cooperate with them and offer them more assistance so as to encourage them to come home. If suitable conditions are prepared in the country, many of the elite will come into the country. We should not however suffice to this. We should try to build the sort of contacts with the elite that would benefit us. The contacts would be so influential to encourage the elite share information with the country, bring in their capital and transfer their profession and arts to the country.

Publicity, request and so on do not prove much effective. The methods do not guarantee repatriation of all the elite. Some people come and some do not.