Washington and Tehran have not had diplomatic relations for 45 years and Donald Trump suggested several times during the election campaign that Israel could attack Iranian nuclear facilities
Iran’s President, Massoud Pezeshkian, said he hopes that the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, does not contribute to a war against the Islamic Republic, reaffirming that Tehran does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons.
“I hope that Trump leads to regional and world peace and does not, on the contrary, contribute to bloodshed or war”, declared the new Iranian reformist President on Tuesday, in an interview given in Iran with the North American channel NBC News, less than a week before the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States.
Washington and Tehran have not maintained diplomatic relations for 45 years and Donald Trump suggested several times during the election campaign that Israel could attack Iranian nuclear facilities.
“We will respond to any action. We do not fear war, but we do not seek it”, reacted Pezeshkian when asked about the prospect of Israeli military attacks, with US approval, against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Iran’s head of diplomacy, Abbas Araghchi, also said on Tuesday that Germany, France and the United Kingdom are “seriously” willing to resume negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program, following talks in Geneva .
Tensions over Iran’s civilian nuclear program – with major powers suspecting Tehran of having military objectives for two decades – have increased since Donald Trump withdrew the United States in 2018, during the first term of the US presidency, from an international agreement 2015.
The text, signed by the United States (during the Barack Obama administration), China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, offered Iran relief from economic sanctions in exchange for limiting its nuclear ambitions.
Since Washington’s withdrawal, Iran has failed to meet its commitments regarding enrichment and control of its nuclear program.
“Everything we have done so far has been peaceful. We are not trying to create a nuclear weapon. But they accuse them of trying to make an atomic bomb, the Iranian leader said.
Asked by NBS News about the possibility of “direct and open negotiations with President Trump”, the Iranian leader was skeptical.
“The problem is not dialogue. The problem lies in the commitments that result from discussions and this dialogue”, he replied, lamenting the fact that “the other party has not kept its promises or fulfilled its obligations”.
