Salehi: 'Iran ready to talk with US without preconditions'

Iranian FM tells IRNA relations with US would change if it "respected Tehran," says nuclear issue could be solved if deal benefits everyone.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Ali Akbar Salehi_311 reuters (photo credit: Khaled Al Hariri / Reuters)
Ali Akbar Salehi_311 reuters
(photo credit: Khaled Al Hariri / Reuters)
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told Iranian official news agency IRNA that the Islamic Republic is willing to negotiate with the United States as long as the dialogue is between "equals" and without preconditions.
"The US wants to treat Iran like it did before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and base its relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran according to its political tendencies," Salehi said in the interview. “The Kind of relations that Washington wants to pursue with Tehran is similar to the one that the wolf wants to have with lamb which is rejected by the Islamic Republic of Iran."
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He emphasized that if the US "avoids making the same mistakes" and "respects the rights of the Iranian nation, the situation will be different."
During the interview, Salehi also commented on Iranian-British relations saying the UK should reconsider its behavior towards Tehran.
"Iran pursues resuming ties with any country on the basis of same-level dialogue. Lifting the ban on Iranian national Nosratollah Tajik can be a positive sign from the British government in terms of reconsidering diplomatic relations with Iran,” he said.
Salehi also said that the nuclear issue could be resolved as long as the Western nations find a way to make sure everyone benefits from the deal.
Otherwise, he told IRNA, the sanctions will fail because the Iranian people "would not surrender and would pay the price for independence."