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Iranian FM Wants 'Respect' From US 04/22 10:08
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the U.S. government of
arrogance and belligerence, saying that Washington needed "a change in
attitude" before any meaningful negotiations can begin over several U.S.
citizens being held prisoner in Iran.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the
U.S. government of arrogance and belligerence, saying that Washington needed "a
change in attitude" before any meaningful negotiations can begin over several
U.S. citizens being held prisoner in Iran.
"It is important... for the (Trump) administration to show the ability to
engage in a respectful dialogue," Zarif said. "The United States needs to learn
how to treat other sovereign nations, particularly sovereign nations who do not
depend on the United States for continued existence."
Zarif spoke to CBS' Face the Nation on Friday; the full interview will be
broadcast Sunday and portions of the transcript were made available to The
Associated Press.
At least five Iranians, all dual-American citizens or green-card holders,
have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges, as has
Chinese-American Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang.
Zarif said his government is open to talks on a prisoner release ---
particularly on health or humanitarian grounds; one of the prisoners, Baquer
Namazi, is 81 and in poor health. But he said the current American attitude
makes such negotiations impossible.
"You do not engage in negotiations by exercising disrespect for a country,
for its people, for its government," he said. "Then you do not leave much room
for a genuine dialogue."
President Donald Trump has had an antagonistic relationship with Tehran
since before his election. Trump campaigned partially on his strong opposition
to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran signed by his predecessor Barack Obama.
Most recently Trump has vowed to withdraw from the agreement by May 12
unless U.S., British, French and German negotiators can agree to fix what he
sees as its serious flaws.
(KA)
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