Speaker Calls on US Officials to End War Rhetoric


Speaker Calls on US Officials to End War Rhetoric

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran's parliament speaker welcomed a change in the US tone towards Tehran, but said positive words should be followed by concrete action and that a change of behavior is more important to Iran.

This comes after top US and Iranian officials have indicated in recent days they are ready to make a new start in bilateral relations that have been marked by hostility and confrontation for more than three decades.

Ali Larijani, Iran's parliament speaker, emphasized the path for diplomacy is open today, but added that threatening Iran with saying "the option of military attack is on the table" seems to be out of context and inappropriate.

“Language of threats is not a good language; if you (the Americans) wish to resolve the nuclear issue through diplomacy you need to act honestly," he said on Friday.

Larijani confirmed that the US tone has changed in the past few days, but added what we need to pay attention to is their deeds, not their words.

The US Congress is working on new Iran sanctions legislation that would further target the activities of non-US companies with Iran, even when the activity has no US connection.

This new legislation, which has already passed the House of Representatives, would primarily impact non-US companies (even those with no US operations or any other US nexus), because it would expand the types of sanctionable activities that could expose foreign companies to the imposition of restrictive measures under US law.

The Iranian speaker referred to the new legislation saying, “If you truly believe that time has come for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s efforts, too, are focused on the same field."

In his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama had stressed that recent signals from Iran on its nuclear program could start the United States and Iran down a “long road towards a different relationship - one based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

"We are not seeking regime change, and we respect the right of the Iranian people to access peaceful nuclear energy. Instead, we insist that the Iranian government meet its responsibilities under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and UN Security Council resolutions," Obama underlined.

And US Secretary of State John Kerry told CBS News on Thursday that if Iran takes rapid measures to cooperate with international monitoring of its nuclear program, Washington could begin lifting sanctions within months.

 

 

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