Rouhani is not 'optimistic' about Iran's nuclear talks with West

A day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei says he does not think the talks will bear fruits, Iran's president echoes his concerns, but says Iranians should not lose hope for removing of Western sanctions.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Iranian President Rouhani at the UN 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
Iranian President Rouhani at the UN 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that he was not optimistic about the success of nuclear talks with the West, echoing statements made by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on his Twitter page.
"The government is not optimistic about the Westerners and the current negotiations," he was quoted as saying by Iranian news agency IRNA.
"But it does not mean that we should not have hope for removing the problems," Rouhani added, referring to international sanctions that have crippled the Islamic Republic's economy.
On Sunday, Khamenei tweeted that he was not optimistic about the outcome of the negotiations, and that even if they failed, it would increase Iran’s self-reliance.
"I am not optimistic about the negotiations but, with the grace of God, we will not suffer losses either," Khamenei said. "I do not think the negotiations will produce the results expected by Iran." 
He advised against “trusting an enemy who smiles” and “expresses a desire for talks,” while on the other hand says “all options are on the table.”
Despite that, he backed Rouhani by urging hardliners in Tehran not to undermine the talks.
"No one should consider our negotiators as compromisers. This is wrong. These are our own children, the offspring of the Islamic Revolution," Khamenei said.
“Our negotiators are in charge of a difficult task and no one should weaken an agent who is engaged doing work,” he added.
The next round of talks between Iran and the P5+1 group, made of the US, Russia, China, Germany, France and Britain, is due to take place on Thursday and Friday in Geneva.