Change of Relations on Horizon for US and Iran?
Iranian FM sees VP Biden's call for direct talks between US and Iran as a sign of positive change between the two countries.
By Annie Lubin - Arutz Sheva 7
First Publish: 2/5/2013, 6:30 AM
Iran's FM thinks a change in relations between US and Iran is possible
Reuters
Can a change of relations between the U.S. and Iran really be possible?
The Iranian Foreign Minister responded to a statement by US
Vice President Joe Biden that Washington is ready to hold direct talks
with Tehran if the Iranian regime is serious about negotiations, saying
that the offer was a sign of positive change between the two countries.
"As I have said yesterday, I am optimistic, I feel this
new administration is really this time seeking to at least divert from
its previous traditional approach vis-a-vis my country," FM Ali Akbar Salehi told the German Council on Foreign Relations.
Salehi said that since the US severed its relations with
Iran following the hostage crisis over 30 years ago, it is still
difficult for Tehran and Washington to form any kind of diplomatic
relationship.
"How do we trust again this new gesture?" he asked.
Salehi said he hoped President Barack Obama would "walk
away from wars ... and approaches that bring destruction, killings,
bloodshed."
Relations between the two countries have been especially tense lately as the US continues to lead an international effort
to force economic sanctions on Iran for its unwillingness to give up
its goal of developing a nuclear weapon. "I think it is about time both
sides really get into engagement because confrontation certainly is not
the way," Salehi said, referring to the opinion that the only way to
stop Tehran is through a US-led attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
"And another thing: this issue of the nuclear file is becoming boring," added Salehi.
Speaking on Saturday at a security conference
in Munich, Biden praised the efforts of the international community to
halt Iran's nuclear program, saying Iran faced "the most robust
sanctions in history."
"But we have also made clear that Iran's leaders need not
sentence their people to economic deprivation and international
isolation," Biden said. "There is still time, there is still space for
diplomacy backed by pressure to succeed. The ball is in the government
of Iran's court."
Labels: Communications, Diplomacy, Hypocrisy, Iran, Nuclear Technology, United States
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, February 05, 2013
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