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MP: Iran deeply distrustful of US officials' offer of direct talks

18 Sep 2013 - 16:03


[caption id="attachment_23974" align="alignright" width="180"] Iranian MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi[/caption]
TEHRAN (FNA)- A top Iranian legislator underlined that Tehran cannot trust the US officials' remarks on Washington's willingness to hold bilateral talks with Iran as Iran sees no practical change in the United States' hostile policies.


“Hostile policies adopted by US officials towards the Islamic Republic of Iran, including repeated threats, US sanctions, inciting Europe to impose sanctions and contribute to the adoption of anti-Iran resolutions by the UN Security Council are only some American policies which prove that the US administration can by no means be trusted,” Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Tuesday.

He further noted that the main problem between Tehran and Washington lies in the untrustworthiness of US officials.

The Iranian lawmaker stressed that the US strong desire for direct talks with Iran will not be satisfied as long as Washington continues its animosity towards Tehran, advising US politicians to change their approach towards the Islamic Republic.

Iran on Tuesday confirmed receiving a letter from US President Barack Obama, but dismissed media reports that the message included Washington's certain demands from Tehran on Syria.

"Obama's letter was received, but it was not about Syria and it was a congratulation letter (to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani) whose response was sent," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham told reporters in Tehran, adding that the two letter also discussed other issues as well.

She, meantime, criticized Obama's recent threatening remarks against Iran, and said, "Unfortunately, the US administration still speaks with the language of threat, and to hold talks with Iran, this language should change to a language of respect; insistence on illogical and unreal positions will yield no results."

Afkham expressed the hope that the US foreign policy would grew pragmatic, lamenting that the US administration has made its interests and foreign policy a hostage of pressure groups.

In relevant remarks on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called on Washington to stop threats against the Islamic Republic, and said Tehran is ready to take confidence-building measures to prove the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.

"We are ready to build the US confidence over the peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program and want the US to show its honest determination to (establish) peace and drop the language of threat," Zarif said in an interview with the Lebanese al-Mayadeen news channel, adding that Iran and the US are suffering from a lack of mutual confidence.

The United States and Iran broke diplomatic relations in April 1980, after Iranian students seized the United States' espionage center at its embassy in Tehran. The two countries have had tense relations ever since, but have shown willingness to attend talks to help resolve regional issues, including security in Iraq. Yet, the two countries have avoided talks on bilateral issues for the last thirty years.

In December, Washington reiterated its demand for immediate talks with Tehran, with Clinton saying that the United States is open to bilateral talks about Iran's nuclear program if Tehran is ready.

Responding to a question in a forum attended by a group of officials, experts and diplomats from the United States and the Middle-East in Washington at the time, Clinton called Iran the hardest issue she has dealt with as secretary of state, and stressed that the Obama administration is prepared for bilateral talks with Iran.

By Fars News Agency

 

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Story Code: 51069

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