‘Changing Tone Not Enough’: US Must Also Change Behavior – Iran

By Staff, Agencies

Iran pays little attention to the change in US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, and that it will not hold talks with Washington until it also changes its behavior towards the Islamic Republic, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sayyed Abbas Mousavi said.

In early May, the Trump administration announced plans to build up Washington’s military presence in the Middle East to counter unspecified Iranian “threats,” shortly after toughening oil sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

However, in parallel with his belligerent policies, Trump, on several occasions in the past weeks, offered to hold talks with Iran.

During a visit to Japan on Monday, Trump used a more conciliatory tone, saying the US was not seeking a regime change in Iran and repeating the offer of negotiations.

“Tehran pays no attention to mere words and rhetoric. What matters to us is that this shift in tone will be complemented with a change in [US] behavior and approach,” Mousavi said on Tuesday.

“We will base our decisions on our own observations as well as the impacts [of US moves] on our country and the region,” he added.

The FM spokesman further censured Washington’s decision to withdraw from a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal and re-impose sanctions against Iran, blaming the “illegal” move for destroying any prospect of negotiations with America.

Mousavi further called on the US to respect international agreements and resume their commitments under the 2015 deal before any offer of negotiations.

“Currently, we are not in talks with the US,” Mousavi said, adding that from Iran's viewpoint, holding any such talks is conditioned on the US returning to the international agreement that it has violated.