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| Mottaki: US polls closely monitored | ||
| 2008-10-03 | ||
Iranian FM says the US could restart its diplomatic relations with Iran if Washington changes its foreign policy vis-a- vis the Islamic Republic.
The US unilaterally severed ties with Iran in April of 1980, following a failed American hostage rescue effort attempt that went awry in the Iranian desert near Tabas.
"Whatever candidate becomes the next president of the US, will have no other option than to bring about new developments in American foreign policy," Mottaki told a symposium sponsored by the Asia Society in New York. According to AFP, he said the next US president would have to try to "reach out to other countries around the world, including states in the Middle East." The Iranian diplomat noted that what would be needed for Iran to consider a rapporcehment would be a clear change in the White House in both word and deed respecting Iran. He also squarely blamed Washington for the dismal state of bilateral relations. "The behavior shown by US officials in the past decades has not been encouraging, has not prompted Iranian officials to work to improve relations," he noted. He said his nation would not allow itself to be dictated to by any US leaders, but expressed hope the standoff between Iran and the West over its nuclear development program would soon be resolved. | ||
| Posted by:Fred |