Iran advises US to abandon carrot-stick policy

Tehran, Feb 11, IRNA ?

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashavi recommended the new US
administration on Wednesday to abandon its carrot and stick policy and
avoid threatening others.

He called on the new US administration to observe the rules of
negotiation, one of them being the mutual respect.

?If by the sticks they mean the sanctions then it should be noticed
that those are useless as figures showed that the volumes of Iran's
trade have increased under difficult conditions,? Qashqavi said,
speaking to reporters at his weekly press conference.

Asked if Tehran had any plans for holding talks with the US, the
spokesman said Iran?s position in this connection was announced by
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in his address to a huge gathering on
the occasion of the 30th victory anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

?Our position is what was said by the president. We are ready for the
talks based on justice and mutual respect and with no accusations,?
Qashqavi said.

He stressed what was said by the president was ?definitely based on
the Constitution.?

In his address to the people who gathered in Tehran?s Azadi Square on
February 10 to celebrate the victory anniversary of the Islamic
revolution, the president said, ?The new US administration has
announced that it wants to make changes and proceed the path to
dialogue; it?s very clear that the real changes should be fundamental
and not tactical. Obviously, the Iranian nation welcomes true changes.
The Iranian nation is ready for talks but the talks should be in a
fair atmosphere on mutual respect.?

Qashqavi rejected some reports relating President Ahmadinejad?s
remarks to the next presidential elections to be held in Iran next
spring.

?Those are unwise analyses resulted from the lack of true
understanding from Iran?s realities,? stressed the spokesman.

He added that holding elections in Iran is a domestic issue while
making decisions about entering any talks with the US ?is a special
issue which should be discussed through a special procedure.?

Qashqavi said that all Iranian officials share the same position on
the issue of conducting talks with the US.

End