Agencies
Tehran :Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has once again dismissed Washington’s offer of talks, which followed its unilateral withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, saying the US, itself, burned its bridges for negotiations with Tehran.
Currently, the Islamic Republic is holding talks with the entire world, the Iranian chief executive told a government meeting on Wednesday.
Rouhani, however, said, “The US itself has acted in such a way that has destroyed the circumstances required for negotiations. It has burned its bridges.”
“Now, the US is standing on the other side,” wondering how to cross, the president noted, adding, “If it is honest, it should fix that bridge again.”
In a hostile move, US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington in May from the landmark nuclear agreement and decided to re-impose the unilateral sanctions against Iran.
The White House has vowed the “strongest sanctions in history” against Iran unless the country fulfills a list of demands.
Indications are strong that talking to the Trump administration will be a total waste of time. For Mr. Trump and his supporters, though, it may be an empty cause for self-congratulation. There may be an opening just there.
The US president said on July 30 that he is ready to meet his Iranian counterpart “any time they want to,” adding, “No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet.”
Trump’s offer of talks came only days after he threatened Iran in a tweet addressed to President Rouhani and said, “You will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before.”
In response, Iranian statesmen and military officials joined voices to reject that offer, saying Tehran will not negotiate under pressure and threats.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
