Ex-Reformist Minister: Iran-US Talks Pointless

A minister in the administration of former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami dismissed the idea of negotiations with the US as a nonstarter, saying talks with a government notorious for reneging on its commitments are futile.

News ID: 71562

Date: 04 August 2018 - 12:11

TEHRAN (Defapress) – In an interview with Tasnim, Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari, a reformist Iranian politician who held the post of interior minister for seven years in Khatami’s administration, rejected the idea of direct negotiations with the US government.

“As regards the US, we should just know that they (Americans) do not honor any treaty and commitment,” the ex-minister said.

“While the US government does not feel bound to implement internatiominnal agreements, including the JCPOA, the talk of negotiations with that country is nonsense,” Mousavi Lari argued.

Although negotiation is the best way to fulfill Iran’s interests, entering talks with the US government, which is against negotiations in essence, could not secure the Islamic Republic’s interests, he concluded.

The comments by the renowned minister of Khatami, who was known for his reformist policies, the idea of Dialogue of Civilization and diplomatic interaction with the West, came after US President Donald Trump voiced willingness to meet with Iran’s leadership without preconditions.

“I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet,” Trump said during a joint news conference at the White House alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on July 30.

“I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet. I'm ready to meet whenever they want to,” he added.

On May 8, Trump pulled his country out of the JCPOA, which was achieved in 2015 after years of negotiations among Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany).

Following the US exit, Iran and the remaining parties launched talks to save the accord.

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