Sr. Negotiator Criticizes US Officialsˈ Statements Against Iran

Tehran, Feb 10, IRNA – Deputy Foreign Minister and senior negotiator in talks with the world powers Seyyed Abbas Araqchi strongly criticized the recent remarks by the US officials against Iran. ˈThe recent stances of the US officials regarding Iran is from a weak standpoint and shows their incapability,ˈ Araqchi said. Speaking in a televised interview to IRIB Channel 2, Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs said that many stances taken by the Americans shows their weakness although it is continuation of their age-old animosity with Iran and based on their imperialist morale. ˈThese statements have been uttered from a weak stance because they should explain to the public opinion, US congress and their friends in the region and outside the region that why they give privileges to Iran and they cannot deal with Iran how they want to,ˈ Araqchi said. He underlined that as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said they US officials were after regime change in Iran, but they failed to achieve any of their objectives ˈThe fact that they have recognized Iranˈs right to uranium enrichment, put aside UN resolutions against Iran and have acknowledged Iranˈs right and failed to prevent Iranˈs increasing regional power shows their weakness vis-à-vis Iran,ˈ Araqchi said. He said that questions that have been asked from US Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman shows the US weakness against Iran. Araqchi underlined that the US officialsˈ statements has another dimension, and said, ˈOn the threshold of next round of talks in Vienna, these statements have rather a ranting aspect.ˈ The Iranian diplomat said that the American officials who take such stances should beware not to repeat their previous stances because the experience has shown that Iran does not negotiate under pressure, adding, ˈWe do not allow others to make decision for us,ˈ ˈThe US is a member of the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) and it does not have the right to write the order of negotiations for us and we do not allow Sherman or anyone else to define need for Iran and say what Iran needs,ˈ Araqchi said. /end