No Point in US Talks as It Won’t Make Concessions

EghtesadOnline: Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that talks with the US government will not bear any results, because the Americans are not ready to offer any concessions.

News ID: ۷۴۸۸۶۵

04 November 2019

"Those who believe that negotiations with the United States will solve all of our problems are 100% wrong. Nothing will come out of talks with the Americans, because they certainly will not make any concessions," the Leader was quoted as saying by his website.

He made the comments during a meeting with students from across the country in Tehran, a day before the 40th anniversary of the seizure of the US embassy in the Iranian capital.

On November 4, 1979, months after the toppling of Iran's American-backed monarch, students overran the embassy complex. The 52 American hostages were released after 444 days, but the US broke off diplomatic relations with Iran in 1980 and ties have been frozen ever since, Financial Tribune reported.

However, Ayatollah Khamenei said US "hostility" against Iran dates back to the 1953 coup, when America overthrew a national government that had "trusted" it.

He was referring to the CIA-organized coup, supported by Britain, which toppled the hugely popular prime minister, Mohammad Mosaddeq, who had called for the nationalization of Iran's oil.

The coup reestablished the rule of the country's last shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had fled Iran in August 1953 after trying to dismiss Mosaddeq.

Relations between the long-time foes have reached a crisis over the past year after US President Donald Trump abandoned a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and world powers, under which Tehran accepted curbs to its nuclear program in return for lifting sanctions.

The Leader said the US has not changed since decades ago, as it is still aggressive and vicious in nature and pursues the same international dictatorship ambitions.

“One way to block America's political infiltration is to ban any talks with America,” he said, adding that the US administration seeks dialogue to use it as "proof of Iran's surrender".

"For years, the Americans have been pushing for talks with Iranian officials, but the Islamic Republic has refused to talk. This is too hard for the enemies of the nation to swallow, because it proves to the world that there is a country in the world that does not accept America's occupying power and international dictatorship and does not give in to bullying."

Focus on Domestic Potentials

Ayatollah Khamenei noted that Iran should not pin hopes on Europe and should focus on using the existing domestic potentials to bolster the economy.

Britain, France and Germany, parties to the nuclear deal with Iran, have tried to set up a financial vehicle to maintain trade with Iran despite US sanctions, but the mechanism is still not operational.

The Leader also said French President Emmanuel Macron's insistence on arranging talks between Iranian and American officials shows that he does not have a proper understanding of the situation, as dialogue with Washington is not the solution to all problems.

"I am not saying we should cut relations [with other countries]. I am just saying that we should not place our hopes on foreigners."

The Leader said North Korea's negotiations with the US and Washington's failure to lift sanctions is a sign of America's untrustworthiness.