US talks, propaganda gesture: Iran MP
An Iranian lawmaker has warned that the US policies regarding Iran are sprinkled with deception, saying Washington’s offer to hold direct talks with Tehran is just a “propaganda gesture”.
“Over the past months, Americans have adopted a propaganda gesture in the international scene and from time to time one of the US officials speaks about direct talks with Iran,” spokesman for the Majlis Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy Seyyed Hossein Naqavi Hosseini told.
He added that US officials pursue nothing but deceit because they have made no practical changes in their attitude towards Iran.
The US mounts pressure and sanctions against the Islamic Republic but expresses readiness to negotiate with Iran, the legislator said.
He emphasized that Iranian officials should not be deceived by such US gestures and think that Washington is in practice committed to its claims.
On March 21, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei alluded to the US repeated offers of direct talks with Iran and said, “Through different ways and messages, the Americans try to negotiate with us on the nuclear issue, but I am not optimistic about these talks.”
“I am not opposed to talks with regard to the nuclear issue, but certain issues must be clarified,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader added, “Negotiation is an American tactic for deceiving the public opinion and if it is otherwise the Americans should prove it.”
A day after the Leader’s remarks, US Secretary of State John F. Kerry expressed Washington’s ‘strong’ commitment to settle its differences with Iran.
“Despite the difficult history of the last decades between the United States and Iran, there is an opportunity to work diplomatically to reduce tensions and address the mistrust between our two countries, to the mutual benefit of both of our people,” Kerry said in a statement.
