Iran MP describes Obama Nowruz message as ploy

A senior Iranian parliamentarian has described US President Barack Obama’s Nowruz message as an act of “deception.”

“As long as there is no balance between the comments and actions of the United States, offering dialogue could only be [viewed as] an act of deception,” head of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi told ILNA news agency.

The remarks came days after President Obama repeated his symbolic offer of dialogue with Tehran, without specifying what concessions Washington is prepared to make.

“We are working with the international community to hold the Iranian government accountable because they refuse to live up to their international obligations,” he said in a Nowruz, new Iranian year, message released on Saturday. “But our offer of comprehensive diplomatic contacts and dialogue stands.”

In response to Obama’s message, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Sunday that the actions of the United States run counter to its call for establishing amicable relations with Iran.

“The new [US] administration and president claimed interest in just and fair relations; they wrote letters and sent messages … saying they are willing to normalize relations with the Islamic Republic, but in practice they did the opposite,” the Leader said in a Nowruz address to Iranians in the holy city of Mashhad.

Boroujerdi also added that the US has sent many messages to Iran in the past, calling for dialogue with Tehran.

“They [the Americans] have sent several messages during the past year calling for talks with Iran, but at the same time they passed more than 60 anti-Iranian bills in their Congress that one of them was ratifying a 55-billion-dollar budget against the Iranian nation,” he said.

“[President] Obama has become a worthless person in the world public opinion. Therefore his Nowruz message to the Iranian nation is also worthless.”