‘US approach towards Iran remains unchanged’

Secretary of Iran’s Expediency Council Mohsen Rezaei says there has been no indication of any modification in the US approach versus the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Our struggle with the US is in fact defensive in nature and is to defend principles and values, while the US battle against us is geared towards forcing us into submission,’’ Rezaei said on Saturday.

Rezaei added that this conflict must come to a reasonable conclusion, “meaning that the Americans must be willing to accept human principles, peace, international security and the sovereignty of other nations.”

In that case, he said, “Iran will also revise its attitude.”

However, Rezaei emphasized, “Currently we do not see any indication of a change in the US approach.”

Rezaei cited what he described as unjust US-led sanctions against Iran as one of the reasons for the persisting conflict, saying that it is up to the US to demonstrate its willingness to remove the anti-Iran sanctions.

The US and EU have imposed tough financial and oil sanctions against Iran since the beginning of 2012, claiming that the country’s nuclear energy program may include a non-civilian diversion.

Tehran refutes such claims, noting that frequent inspections by International Atomic Energy Agency have failed to prove any diversion in Iran’s nuclear energy program.