Iran demands equity in any US talks

Amid strained relations between Tehran and Washington, Iran says it will enter talks with the US only under “equal and respectful conditions” and without any prejudice.

“If the US seriously seeks to revive relations with Iran, it should make changes in its attitude. Washington should prove that it will never repeat previous mistakes and will not pursue misguided and hostile policies towards the Iranian nation,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said.

“We should sense a maturity in remarks and attitude of US officials and they should accept that rights of nations must be respected,” he told Fars News Agency on Sunday.

“However, there is no reason to prepare the grounds for establishing relations at the time the US attacks other countries, violates rights of nations and sees its interests in war and massacre,” he said.

He added that Iran has never announced it wants to cut off relations with the US and said, “Currently, we may have ties with American people in certain fields.”

The spokesman went on to criticize the US policy of exerting pressure on other countries, saying, “Such conduct will not work toward a country like Iran.”

Mehmanparast noted that in addition to the UN Security Council sanctions, the US imposes unilateral sanctions on Iran and threatens the Islamic Republic with military aggression.

The US reserves the right to attack the Iranian nation with nuclear weapons, he said, adding, “It is one of the most inhuman statement that a government can make.”

“Under such circumstances, the talk of negotiating with Iran will be completely meaningless and reflect a contradiction in US policies,” he concluded.

The United States and Israel say their military option against Iran remains on the table until Iran stops its uranium enrichment activity.

Iran insists that its nuclear program is completely in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s rules and regulations and as a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Iran reserves the right to continue its enrichment work.

Iranian military officials have vowed a crushing response to any military measure against the country’s nuclear facilities.