Zarif Slams US ’Hypocritical’ Position on Bilateral Talks

Local Editor

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif censured the US for adopting a duplicitous policy towards Iran as regards direct dialogue between the two sides.

Zarif told "Radio Tehran" during a live program Saturday that the Americans are trying to portray themselves as the ones seeking dialog after US officials dangled the possibility of talks despite re-imposing "all sanctions."

The Iranian government believes that "the Americans pursue a hypocritical policy trying to say that they are seeking dialogue," he said. Tehran "should try to expose this hypocritical policy," Zarif added.

The US has thrown the outcome of some two and a half years of negotiations into doubt by withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world countries, he said.

"We have declared that if a government does not abide by its commitments, there is no room for negotiations with it.”

Earlier this week, the administration of US President Donald Trump unleashed a second round of sanctions against Iran. The punitive measures targeted 700 individuals, banks, aircraft, ships and companies tied to Iran’s energy and financial industries.

They came months after Washington scrapped the nuclear accord, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], despite international objections.

The first round of the anti-Iran bans – which had been lifted under the accord -- were re-imposed in August.

In his comments, Zarif said Tehran has to expose the hypocrisy of US leaders.

Trump has repeatedly requested a meeting with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani. In July, the US president said he would “certainly meet” his Iranian counterpart without preconditions.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team