US Will Have to Shift Iran Policies: Official


US Will Have to Shift Iran Policies: Official

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian diplomat denounced the US state secretary’s comments against Tehran as a repetition of the US hostile policies over the past four decades, saying Washington will be obligated to change its strategy.

In comments on Tuesday, Majid Takht Ravanchi, deputy for political affairs at the Iranian president’s office, lashed out at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his “harsh and impolite” comments about Iran, saying the US is mistaken to think that threats could be effective.

“Americans will definitely have to change methods,” he added, saying the Trump administration has no experience of politics and resorts to political rhetoric and accusations to intimidate Iran.

He also pointed to Europe’s opposition to the US anti-Iran strategy as a sign of isolation of the US government in the world.

Playing down the US threat to impose crippling and unprecedented sanctions against Iran, Takht Ravanchi said Washington has already realized the futility of sanctions, that is why it entered negotiations with Tehran a couple of years ago.

In his remarks at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Mike Pompeo set out 12 tough demands for inclusion in a new nuclear treaty with Iran.

The US diplomat has urged Iran to permanently shut down any nuclear-related program and give up its regional policy.

Pompeo also called on Iran to halt missile development, withdraw forces from Syria, release all US citizens as well as citizens of US partners and allies, and end support for what he called Middle East "terrorist" groups.

Following Pompeo’s harsh comments about Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet, “US diplomacy sham is merely a regression to old habits: imprisoned by delusions and failed policies—dictated by corrupt Special Interest—it repeats the same wrong choices and will thus reap the same ill rewards. Iran, meanwhile, is working with partners for post-US JCPOA solutions.”

On May 8, US President Donald Trump pulled his country out of the nuclear deal, which was achieved in Vienna in 2015 after around two years of negotiations.

Iran and the other parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), namely Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany have launched talks to keep the deal in a way that Tehran’s benefits are secured.

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